Multiple subpial transections: the Yale experience

PURPOSE: Although resection of an epileptogenic region is the mainstay of epilepsy surgery, epileptogenic areas in functionally critical cortex cannot be approached in that manner. Multiple subpial transection (MST) was developed to treat those refractory seizures without causing unacceptable neurologic deficit. We review our experience with this technique. METHODS: Twelve patients who underwent MST with or without resection between 1990 and 1998 were retrospectively reviewed with regard to seizure and neurologic outcome, and predictive factors. RESULTS: Five (42%) of 12 patients obtained a significant improvement in seizure frequency, and two other patients had a marked decrease in the severity of their seizures. Resection with MST reduced seizure frequency more, but this was not a significant difference. No predictive factors for outcome were identified. Only one patient sustained any persistent neurologic deficit. CONCLUSIONS: In selected patients, MST may be a viable alternative when the epileptogenic focus lies in unresectable cortex. A multicenter study with appreciable patient numbers will be necessary to define predictive factors for success.     

Surgical Outcome in Patients with Epilepsy with Occult Vascular Malformations Treated with Lesionectomy

Summary: Purpose: This retrospective study reports the long-term surgical outcome of patients with medically refractory epilepsy and vascular malformations who were treated with lesionectomy. A detailed analysis of surgical failures had been performed in an attempt to define predictors of surgical success and failure.
Methods: Fifteen patients with medically intractable epilepsy and angiographically occult vascular malformations (AOVMs) were treated surgically with lesionectomy at Duke University Medical Center. Lesionectomy consisted of removal of the AOVM and surrounding hemosiderin-stained brain only, without the use of electrocorticography (ECoG) to guide resection.
Results: Eleven (73%) patients are seizure free after lesionectomy. Three showed no significant improvement, and one patient died, presumably after a seizure. Age of onset, duration of seizures, age at resection, and gender did not affect outcome. All patients with neocortical AOVMs in whom EEG findings correlated with the site of the lesion were seizure free after lesional resection. Treatment failures were associated with the presence of multiple intracranial lesions, poorly localized or diffuse EEG findings, discordant positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, or with a lesion in close proximity to the limbic system.
Conclusions: Lesionectomy, with removal of surrounding hemosiderin-stained brain, can be considered the procedure of choice in carefully selected patients with epilepsy with occult vascular malformations.     

Magnetic source imaging and ictal SPECT in MRI‐negative neocortical epilepsies: Additional value and comparison with intracranial EEG

Purpose: To investigate the utility of magnetic source imaging (MSI) and ictal single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), each compared with intracranial electroencephalography (EEG) (ICEEG), to localize the epileptogenic zone (EZ) and predict epilepsy surgery outcome in patients with nonlesional neocortical focal epilepsy. Methods: Studied were 14 consecutive patients with nonlesional neocortical epilepsy who underwent presurgical evaluation including ICEEG, positive MSI, and localizing subtraction Ictal SPECT coregistered to MRI (SISCOM) analysis. Follow‐up after epilepsy surgery was ≥24 months. ICEEG, MSI, and SPECT results were classified using a sublobar classification. Key Findings: Of 14 patients, 6 (42.9%) became seizure‐free after surgery. Sublobar ICEEG focus was completely resected in 11 patients; 5 (45.5%) of them became seizure‐ free. Concordance of ICEEG and MSI and complete focus resection was found in 5 (35.7%) patients; 80% of them became seizure‐free. Sublobar ICEEG‐MSI concordance and complete focus resection significantly increased the chance of seizure freedom after epilepsy surgery (p = 0.038). In contrast, of the 6 patients (42.9%) with concordant ICEEG and SISCOM and complete focus resection, only 66.7% became seizure‐free (p = 0.138). Assuming concordant results, the additive value to ICEEG alone for localizing the EZ is higher with ICEEG‐MSI (odds ratio 14) compared to ICEEG‐SISCOM (odds ratio 6). Significance: This study shows that combination of MSI and/or SISCOM with ICEEG is useful in the presurgical evaluation of patients with nonlesional neocortical epilepsy. Concordant test results of either MSI or SISCOM with ICEEG provide useful additive information for that provided by ICEEG alone to localize the EZ in this most challenging group of patients. When sublobar concordance with ICEEG is observed, MSI is more advantageous compared to SISCOM in predicting seizure‐free epilepsy surgery outcome.     

Surgical treatment of multifocal epilepsy involving eloquent cortex

PURPOSE: This report describes our long-term follow-up for combined resective surgery and multiple subpial transections (MSTs) in patients with refractory epilepsy involving eloquent and noneloquent cortex in multiple lobes. Multiple independent seizure foci made these patients poor candidates for conventional surgery. METHODS: MST and resective surgery were used in 13 patients to treat localization-related refractory epilepsy involving eloquent and noneloquent cortex of two or more lobes. Preoperative investigation was followed by invasive monitoring. RESULTS: Eleven patients had MST plus resection involving two different lobes, and two patients had MST plus resection involving three different lobes. MSTs were performed on the primary sensorimotor cortex (eight patients), temporal language area (two patients), Broca's area (one patient), and on both frontal motor and temporal language areas (two patients). Nine patients had a two-stage procedure, and four patients had a three-stage procedure (two consecutive subdural grid studies followed by resections). Average follow-up was 59.2 months (range, 42-98 months). With a modified Engel Outcome Scale, four patients (31%) had a class I outcome; three (23%), class II; three (23%), class III; and three (23%), class IV. Ten (77%) patients had a >50% reduction of seizure burden. CONCLUSIONS: Combined MST and resection can meaningfully improve seizure control in patients with multifocal epilepsy involving eloquent cortex. Prospective randomized studies are needed.     

Levetiracetam efficacy in refractory partial-onset seizures,especially after failed epilepsy surgery

PURPOSE: We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of levetiracetam as adjunctive therapy in patients with localization-related epilepsy, and specifically in the subset of patients for whom epilepsy surgery failed. METHODS: Eighty-two patients with uncontrolled partial-onset seizures treated with levetiracetam were identified; epilepsy surgery had failed for 21 (25.6%; group I), and 61 (74.4%) had no prior surgery (group II). Group I and group II patients were comparable in age (mean, 40.7 vs. 41.5 years) and age at seizure onset (mean, 14.4 vs. 18.2 years). Patients who had >/=50% reduction in seizure frequency were considered responders; the remaining patients were considered nonresponders. RESULTS: In patients (group I) for whom surgery had failed, responder rate was 76.1% (16 of 21), including 10 (47.6%) patients who became seizure free. In nonsurgical patients (group II), responder rate was 34.3% (21 of 61), including nine (14.7%) patients who became seizure free. In group I, 11 (91.6%) of 12 temporal resection patients were responders, of whom eight were seizure free; of the remaining nine operated (extratemporal) patients, five (55.5%) were responders, and two were seizure free. In three responders, all in group I, a severe, delayed psychotic syndrome developed 4 to 9 months after levetiracetam introduction, leading to its discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that adjunctive levetiracetam therapy should be considered early after failed epilepsy surgery, especially after temporal resection, and may have implications for its use before surgical intervention. Patients should be under close psychiatric observation in this clinical setting.     

Multiple subpial transection for intractable partial epilepsy: an international meta-analysis

PURPOSE: Because the number and variety of patients at any single facility is not sufficient for clinical or statistical analysis, data from six major epilepsy centers that performed multiple subpial transections (MSTs) for medically intractable epilepsy were collected. METHODS: A meta-analysis was performed to elucidate the indications and outcome, and to assess the results of the procedure. Overall, 211 patients were represented with data regarding preoperative evaluation, procedures, seizure types and frequencies before and after surgery, postoperative deficits, and demographic information. Fifty-three patients underwent MST without resection. RESULTS: In patients with MST plus resection, excellent outcome (>95% reduction in seizure frequency) was obtained in 87% of patients for generalized seizures, 68% for complex partial seizures, and 68% for simple partial seizures. For the patients who underwent MST without resection, the rate of excellent outcome was only slightly lower, at 71% for generalized, 62% for complex partial, and 63% for simple partial seizures. EEG localization, age at epilepsy onset, duration of epilepsy, and location of MST were not significant predictors of outcome for any kinds of seizures after MST, with or without resection. New neurologic deficits were found in 47 patients overall, comparable in MST with resection (23%) or without (19%). CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that MST has efficacy by itself, with minimal neurologic compromise, in cases in which resective surgery cannot be used to treat uncontrolled epilepsy. MST should be investigated as a stand-alone procedure to allow further development of criteria and predictive factors for outcome.     

外伤性癫痫治疗的临床探讨

目的探讨外伤性癫痫的高危因素、临床特征、预防及治疗方法等。方法我科自2000年1月到2006年3月收治86例外伤性癫痫患者,均常规给予抗癫痫药物治疗,其中手术治疗21例。手术患者采取致痫灶切除术6例,致痫灶切除 多处软膜下横切术(MST)/热灼术11例,前颞叶、杏仁核-海马切除2例,选择性杏仁核-海马切除1例,胼胝体切开 MST 皮层热灼1例。结果随访6～58月,65例保守治疗者中,28例在服药治疗两年以上后逐步减药直至停药,未见癫痫明显发作;其余患者仍继续口服药物治疗,8例仍时有发作。21例手术治疗患者,术后癫痫控制满意9例(42.7%),显著改善8例(38.1%),良好2例(9.6%),效果较差1例(4.8%),无改善1例(4.8%)。无手术死亡及永久性并发症发生。结论外伤性癫痫的预防首先应去除诱因,对有高发风险者可予以预防性抗癫痫药物治疗。准确的术前评估、术中ECoG监测、多种术式的联合应用可提高外伤后癫痫患者的手术疗效。     

Epilepsy Surgery in the First Three Years of Life

Summary: Purpose: Partial seizures in early postnatal life may be catastrophic and associated with poor long-term outcome. Epilepsy surgery can alleviate partial seizures in older children and adults, but there is little experience with surgical therapy in infancy apart from hemispheric epilepsy syndromes.
Methods: We analyzed the results of cortical resection to treat medically refractory partial epilepsy in 31 children (16 boys, 15 girls) aged <3 years (mean, 18.3 months). Subjects were included only if seizure relief was the primary indication for surgery.
Results: Follow-up of at least 1 year (mean, 4.6 years) in 26 patients revealed that 16 were seizure-free, 4 had >90% seizure reduction, and 6 had <90% reduction. There was no significant difference in seizure outcome between hemispherectomy/multilobar resections and lobar resections or temporal versus extratemporal resection. Seizure outcome was independent of the amount of cortex removed in nonlesional patients. Only the presence of a discrete lesion on preoperative neuroimaging correlated with a favorable outcome. Family perceptions of accelerated development in seizure-free patients were not confirmed on developmental assessment.
Conclusions: We conclude that cortical resection often benefits very young children with catastrophic partial seizures, but does not guarantee enhanced neurological development. The location and extent of the excised cortex may not be critical as long as the entire epileptogenic region and tesion are removed.     

Lamotrigine–valproic acid combination therapy for medically refractory epilepsy

Purpose:   A retrospective study of lamotrigine (LTG)–valproic acid (VPA) combination therapy in medically refractory epilepsy.
Methods:   Patients were identified with an adult epilepsy clinic database and were included if they had been on LTG–VPA combination therapy for at least 6 months. Patient demographics and information about epilepsy type, severity, and degree of medical intractability were obtained by retrospective chart review. The primary outcome measure was change in baseline seizure frequency, and patients were stratified into three groups: (i) seizure-free, (ii) improved (at least 50% reduction in baseline seizure frequency), and (iii) not improved.
Results:   Thirty-five patients met all inclusion–exclusion criteria. Epilepsy type was generalized in 25 patients (71%) and partial in 10 patients (29%). Before LTG–VPA treatment, 27 of 35 (77%) experienced disabling seizures on a monthly basis, and 17 of 35 (49%) of patients had at least one disabling seizure per week. Patients had previously failed treatment with a median of five antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), alone or in combination. With LTG–VPA therapy, 18 (51.4%) remained completely seizure-free, four (11.4%) were improved, and 13 (37.1%) were unimproved. Median follow-up was 42 months. Of the 22 patients who improved, 11 had previously failed LTG and VPA monotherapy. There was no significant difference between improved and unimproved patients with respect to demographics, epilepsy type or severity, or number of previously failed AEDs.
Discussion:   The combination of LTG and VPA should be considered in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. The effectiveness of this combination appears to be independent of epilepsy type or patient demographics.     

A longitudinal study of surgical outcome and its determinants following posterior cortex epilepsy surgery

Purpose:   To investigate the longitudinal seizure outcome and identify potential prognostic indicators following posterior cortex epilepsy (PCE) surgery.
Methods:   We reviewed patients who underwent a parietal, occipital, or parietooccipital resections between 1994 and 2006, using survival analysis and multivariate regression with Cox proportional hazard modeling. A favorable outcome was defined as Engel Class I at last follow-up.
Results:   Fifty-seven patients were identified with a mean follow-up of 3.3 years (range 1–12 years). The estimated chance of seizure freedom (SF) was 73.1% at 6 postoperative months, 68.5% at 1 year, 65.8% at between 2 and 5 years, and 54.8% at 6 years and beyond. Most recurrences (75%) occurred within the first 6 postoperative months. Parietal resections had a worse outcome than occipital or parietooccipital resections (52% SF vs. 89% and 93%, respectively, at 5 years). Independent predictors of recurrence included an epilepsy etiology other than tumor or dysplasia [risk ratio (RR) 2.29], limiting resection to a lesionectomy (RR 2.10), having ipsilateral temporal spiking on preoperative scalp electroencephalography (EEG) (RR 2.06), or any ipsilateral spiking on postoperative EEG (RR 2.70) (Log likelihood-ratio test p < 0.0001). Only 40–50% of patients with a poor outcome predictor were SF at 5 postoperative years as opposed to about 80% otherwise. In surgical failures, recurrent seizure frequency was related directly to baseline seizure frequency and to the presence of ipsilateral spiking on postoperative EEG.
Discussion:   These data highlight favorable long-term outcomes following PCE surgery. Limited surgical resection and diffuse baseline epileptogenicity may be important predictors of seizure recurrence.     

应用多种手术方式治疗顽固性癫(癎)的临床研究

目的针对不同类型的顽固性癫癎病人,评估单独应用癫癎病灶切除术与联合应用多种手术方式治疗癫癎临床效果。方法手术治疗顽固性癫癎病人80例,其中53例采用几种术式结合的方法;每个病人术前均经过2年以上的正规系统的抗癫癎药物治疗,仍不能控制癫癎发作,每月发作3~4次以上;癫癎发作形式为单纯部分性发作,复杂部分性发作,强直-阵挛性发作以及伴失神发作;采用的手术方式:术中均进行皮层脑电描记(EcoG);局部致癎灶切除术27例,局部致癎灶切除术 多处软膜下横纤维切断术(MST)11例,局部致癎癎灶切除术 MST 皮层热灼术9例,局部致癎灶切除术 胼胝体前部切开术 颞前叶及海马切除术 MST33例。结果80例手术病人术后无死亡,术后2例脑水肿,1例颅内出血,1例肾功能衰竭;术后均服用一种抗癫癎药物,随访6~24个月,51例癫癎临床发作完全消失(63.8%),12例较术前显著改善(15.0%),8例有效(10.0%),6例效果差(7.5%),3例无效(3.8%);手术总有效率为88.8%,优良率为78.8%。结论应用多种手术方式治疗顽固性癫癎有满意疗效。     

顽固性额叶癫痫的手术治疗

目的 总结与分析顽固性额叶癫痫患者手术治疗的效果和经验。方法 回顾性分析2001年9月到2003年3月在我科接受手术治疗的66例顽固性额叶癫痫病例，统计患者的症状、检查及手术治疗情况，并总结手术体会。结果 手术行额叶癫痫病灶切除 多处软膜下横切(MST)12例。额极切除1例。额叶MST 选择性胼胝体切开 选择性海马杏仁核切除14例，额叶MST 选择性胼胝体切开30例，额叶MST 选择性海马杏仁核切除3例，额叶MST 选择性胼胝体切开 双侧直回内侧切除术2例，单纯MST4例。术后疗效满意49例(74．2％)，显著改善ll例(16．7％)，良好4例(6．1％)，无效2例(3．0％)。结论 顽固性额叶癫痫患者的特点是病情严重，手术效果好。     

Resective surgery for intractable focal epilepsy in patients with low IQ: predictors for seizure control and outcome with respect to seizures and neuropsychological and psychosocial functioning

PURPOSE: To investigate possible predictive factors for seizure control in a group of children and adults with low IQs (IQ, < or =70) who underwent resective surgery for intractable focal epilepsy and to study outcome with respect to seizures and neuropsychological functioning. We also studied psychosocial outcome in the adult patients. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (eight children younger than 18 years) with a Wechsler Full Scale IQ of 70 or less underwent comprehensive neuropsychological assessments before and 2 years after surgery. Adults also completed the Washington Psychosocial Seizure Inventory (WPSI). Univariate analyses were used to identify variables differentiating between patients who became seizure free and those who did not. Pre- and postoperative test results were compared by t test for dependent samples. RESULTS: Forty-eight percent of the patients became seizure free, 52% of those with temporal lobe resection and 38% of those with extratemporal resection. Only one variable was predictive for seizure outcome: duration of epilepsy. In one third of the patients, who had the shortest duration of epilepsy (<12 years), 80% became seizure free. Significant improvement was seen regarding vocational adjustment in adults (WPSI). Seizure-free adults improved their Full Scale IQ scores. No cognitive changes were found in seizure-free children or in patients who did not become seizure free. CONCLUSIONS: A good seizure outcome was obtained after resective surgery in patients with intractable focal epilepsy and low IQ, provided that treatment was done relatively shortly after onset of epilepsy. No adverse effects were seen on cognitive and psychosocial functioning.     

多处软脑膜下横纤维切断术治疗难治性癫痫的应用研究

目的 总结多处软脑膜下横纤维切断术(multiple subpial transection,MST)与其他术式联合应用治疗难治性癫痫的疗效。方法 195例难治性癫痫患者,部分性发作者81例,全面性发作者114例。根据手术前脑电图、SPECT、PET、CT及MR定位检查,结合术中皮层电极脑电图探测结果,划出致痫灶地域图,于显微镜下先行致痫灶及颞叶基底部切除或胼胝体切开;而后对周围或广泛性棘波发放区施行多处软脑膜下横纤维切断,最后经皮层电极脑电图探查显示病变区癫痫样波形完全消失即完成手术。结果 195例患者,行大脑半球广泛单纯性MST者39例(20.00％);大脑半球表面蛛网膜粘连带切除减压+MST者21例(10.78％);颞尖部及颞叶基底部切除+颞叶新皮质MST者39例(20.00％);大脑半球局限性病变及致痫带切除+广泛性MST者50例(25.64％);病灶周边局限性MST者16例(8.21％);胼胝体前2/3切开+双额叶前部MST者30例(15.38％)。无一例发生手术死亡,亦未出现严重并发症。随访80例患者,优45例(56.25％),良20例(25.00％),中9例(11.25％),差6例(7.50％);有效率为92.50％,显效率为81.25％。结论 联合应用MST与致痫灶切除、颞叶内基底区切除或胼胝体切开是治疗难治性癫痫患者的有效方法,值得推广应用。     

Multiple subpial transection: a review of 21 cases.

Multiple subpial transection (MST) is a novel technique in surgery for epilepsy, employed in patients where some or all of the epileptogenic zone cannot be resected because it lies in a vital cortical area. Twenty one patients subjected to MST were reviewed. Eighteen patients had medically intractable epilepsy and three patients had Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Their ages ranged from 6 to 47 (mean 15-9) and duration of epilepsy ranged from 0.33 to 42 (mean 8.6) years. Preoperative MRI showed focal abnormalities in eight cases. Detailed electrophysiological examination was carried out on all patients. Brain resection was performed in addition to MST in 12 patients. A further six patients underwent brain biopsy. Three patients with Landau-Kleffner syndrome were subjected neither to resection nor to biopsy. Histopathological examination showed Rasmussen's syndrome in six patients, cortical dysplasia in six, cerebral tumour in one, and non-specific changes in five. Multiple subpial transection was carried out mainly in precentral and postcentral regions. Eighteen patients have been followed up for one to five years, and three for 10 months. The three patients with Landau-Kleffner syndrome were mute before operation and have shown substantial recovery of speech. Of the other 18, 11 showed a worthwhile decrease in seizure frequency. None of the patients developed chronic neurological deficits attributable to MST. It is concluded that MST leads to worthwhile seizure control without major neurological deficit in patients who would otherwise be inoperable.     

Magnetoencephalography source localization and surgical outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: We prospectively investigated the role of magnetoencephalography (MEG) in localizing the seizure focus and in predicting outcome to surgical resections for intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). METHODS: We performed simultaneous interictal EEG and MEG recording (two 37-channel system) in 26 TLE patients followed by MEG source localization. We correlated early modeling dipoles with intracranial EEG, temporal surgical resection and surgical outcome. RESULTS: There were 12 patients who had anterior temporal horizontal or tangential dipoles to the anterior infero-lateral temporal tip cortex. Two patients underwent selective amygdalo-hippocampectomy (SAH) and nine patients had antero-medial temporal lobectomy (AMTL). All patients had successful outcome except for one patient who initially failed SAH, but became seizure-free after AMTL. There were 11 patients who demonstrated anterior temporal vertical or tangential oblique dipoles. Five patients had AMTL and three had SAH; all became seizure free. Five of above 23 patients had invasive EEG and demonstrated mesial seizure onset. Three TLE patients had lateral vertical dipoles that were concordant with intracranial EEG and these became seizure free after temporal neocortical resections. CONCLUSIONS: MEG source analysis produces distinct source patterns that provide useful localizing information, predict surgical outcome, and may aid in planning limited surgical resection in TLE.     

Epilepsy and the impact of an epileptology clinic for patients with mental retardation and associated disabilities in an institutional setting

Summary:  Purpose: Epilepsy is a common problem in institutionalized patients with multiple handicaps. Limited data exist on the characteristics of epilepsy in this patient population and the impact of systematic evaluation by an epilepsy service.
Methods: We evaluated 138 patients with epilepsy, institutionalized at a facility that cares for 324 patients with multiple handicaps. Evaluation included EEG, MRI, and video-EEG monitoring. The medication regimen was changed according to seizure diagnosis and the status of seizure control. Follow-up was available for ≥6 months in 110 patients, 1 year for 89, and 1.5 years for 49 patients. We analyzed the seizure and epilepsy diagnosis in this population, as well as the seizure frequency after evaluation and treatment
Results: The 76 male and 62 female patients' ages ranged from 14 to 73 years. Seventy-three patients had fewer than one seizure per month, whereas 29 patients had at least one seizure per month. Of 131 patients taking antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), 62 were receiving monotherapy, and 69 were receiving two or more AEDs. At the last follow-up, overall 55% of patients had reduced seizure frequency, including 23% who became seizure free. Two of 36 patients had spontaneous seizure recurrence after being seizure free with no AEDs for 4 months in one patient and 3 years for the other. Attempts were made to discontinue phenobarbital, primidone, and clonazepam in 21 patients. However, these were discontinued in only five patients.
Conclusions: Epilepsy is heterogeneous in institutionalized patients with multiple handicaps. It is often responsive to medical therapy. Evaluation and treatment by epilepsy specialists had an overall favorable impact on seizure control.     

Long-term outcome of nonsurgical candidates with medically refractory localization-related epilepsy

PURPOSE: Epilepsy surgery can result in complete seizure remission rates of upto 80% in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis and unilateral seizures. The seizure-free rate after surgery for patients with extratemporal nonlesional epilepsy has ranged between 30% and 40%. Some patients with medically refractory localization-related epilepsy cannot be offered surgical resection because of inadequate localization of the epileptogenic zone, documentation of bilateral ictal onsets, or functionally important areas of cortex that prohibit resection. The short-term rate of complete remission with medications in temporal lobe epilepsy is poor. Less is known about remission rates in patients who are not surgical candidates. In this study, we evaluated the outcome of medical treatment in patients with medically refractory partial epilepsy who were evaluated for possible epilepsy surgery but deemed to be inadequate surgical candidates. METHODS: A retrospective chart review and telephone survey with a self-rating questionnaire were completed for all patients who underwent epilepsy surgery evaluation but were not ultimately offered surgical treatment at the University of Michigan from 1990 through 1998. We assessed changes in seizure frequency and type, imaging characteristics, ictal recordings, interim medication history, and subjective changes in quality of life. RESULTS: Thirty-four subjects were available for follow-up study, at an average of >4 years after surgical evaluation. A significant reduction in seizure frequency was noted at the time of follow-up compared with that at the time of surgical evaluation. Of patients, 21% achieved seizure remission and remained seizure free for an average of 2.5 years. Four of the seven seizure-free patients attributed their remission to new antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). On a global self-rating item, 15 of 34, or 44%, felt more or much more satisfied with their lives, and 41% felt their quality of life was stable. CONCLUSIONS: A surprisingly large number of patients we surveyed, with refractory partial epilepsy not eligible for surgical management, reported reduced seizure frequency at follow-up, and 21% were seizure free. Our findings suggest that the long-term prognosis in patients with refractory partial epilepsy who are not surgical candidates may be more positive than might be generally expected.     

皮层脑电图监测在颅脑病变伴发癫(癎)手术中的应用

目的 探讨皮层脑电图监测在颅脑病变伴发癫(癎)手术中的应用价值.方法 回顾分析58 例皮层脑电监测下手术切除病变及致(癎)灶患者临床资料.结果 所有患者在切除病变后复查皮层脑电图仍有(癎)样放电,其中37 例行扩大皮层切除,18 例加行皮层热灼术,3 例加行MST.术后1 /2 ～6 年随访发现癫(癎)控制达到EngelⅠ级32 例,EngelⅡ12 例,Engel Ⅲ级3 例,Engel Ⅳ 11 例,术后癫(癎)控制有效率为84.48%.结论 对于颅脑病变伴发癫(癎)的患者,应在皮层脑电图监测下进行手术,且在切除病变的同时一并将致(癎)灶切除.     

难治性癫痫的致痫灶定位及手术治疗研究

目的评价难治性癫痫的致痫灶定位方法和皮层电极监测下致痫灶切除,加行多处软脑膜下横纤维切断术(MST)治疗癫痫的疗效。方法对47例难治性癫痫病人的致痫灶,采用CT MRI EEG 单光子发射计算机体层摄影(SPECT) 皮层脑电脑(ECoG)联合检测定位。对检出的阳性病灶在皮层电极监测显微镜下行致痫灶切除,切除后监测仍有癫痫波者加行MST;致痫灶位于重要功能区者单行MST。结果致痫灶阳性检出率86%。皮层电极检测显微镜下致痫灶切除加MST,术后91%的病人癫痫发作停止,半年后约15%的病人复发,但症状较术前减轻,持续时间较术前短。结论CT MRI EEG SPECT ECoG联合检测,对手术定位具有较高价值。皮层电极监测下致痫灶切除术及MST创伤轻微、效果比较可靠、治愈率高、并发症少、复发率低。病灶及致痫灶的不完全切除和形成皮层软化及疤痕,可能是导致癫痫复发的重要原因。