Long-term outcome of epilepsy surgery: a retrospective study in a population of 379 cases

We evaluated the long-term outcome of epilepsy surgery in drug-resistant epilepsy patients, and investigated preoperative factors associated with postoperative long-term surgical outcome. We performed a retrospective study of 379 patients who received epilepsy surgeries from 2000 to 2010. Patients had completed a minimum of 2-year and up to 12-year follow-up. Preoperative evaluations, surgical outcomes and clinical data of patients were collected and analyzed. We found that the epilepsy surgery was effective in drug-resistant patients and the long-term outcome of epilepsy surgery was satisfactory. The bipolar electro-coagulation could improve the surgical outcome when the epileptogenic focus was on the functional cortex. Results of the 2-year follow-up showed that preoperative seizure characteristics including the history of febrile seizure, seizure frequency, and location, quantity and range of seizure foci were significantly associated with the surgical outcome. The surgery procedure including the surgery type and the extent of resection also affected outcome. Abnormal head or hippocampus MRI, inconsistent results of preoperative investigations, seizure types, and pathology type might also be predictors of long-term surgical outcome.