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Stereo-Electro-Encephalo-Graphy (SEEG) With Robotic Assistance in the Presurgical Evaluation of Medical Refractory Epilepsy: A Technical Note
Published on: June 13, 2016
Neurosurgical treatment of status epilepticus
Yu-Tze Ng1, John F Kerrigan, Harold L Rekate
1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA. y2ng@chw.edu
Insights
Neurosurgery effectively treated refractory status epilepticus in five pediatric patients when medical treatments failed. This approach offers a viable alternative for severe seizure control.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Neurosurgery
- Epileptology
Background:
- Refractory status epilepticus (RSE) presents a significant challenge in pediatric epilepsy management.
- Medical therapies often fail to control prolonged or severe seizure states, leading to poor outcomes.
Observation:
- Five children with medically intractable RSE, including various seizure types, underwent focal resection surgery.
- Surgical intervention was considered after failure of multiple anticonvulsant and other medical treatments.
Findings:
- Neurosurgical intervention led to complete seizure control in 75% (4/5) of patients.
- One patient experienced a >90% reduction in seizure frequency post-operatively.
Implications:
- Neurosurgery is a crucial therapeutic option for pediatric refractory status epilepticus.
- Early consideration of neurosurgical intervention may improve outcomes and reduce mortality associated with RSE.
Object:
The purpose of this study was to report the cases of five patients with status epilepticus who were treated successfully with neurosurgery.
Methods:
Five children presented with refractory status epilepticus, including complex partial status epilepticus, epilepsia partialis continua and "status gelasticus." Multiple medical therapies had failed to control the seizures, and focal resection was performed. Seizures were fully controlled in four patients, and in one patient seizure frequency was reduced by more than 90%.
Conclusions:
Refractory status epilepticus is associated with a high mortality rate and by definition does not respond well to medical treatment, even optimal medical treatment. Neurosurgical treatment should be considered as another therapeutic option once medical management has failed, and neurosurgery should not necessarily be a last resort.
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