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Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization
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Author Spotlight: Advancing Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery in Children Through Novel Biomarkers and Enhanced Localization

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Family Burden and Epilepsy Surgery in Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Sebastian Hoyer1,2, Konstantin L Makridis1,2,3, Deniz A Atalay1,2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany.

Neuropediatrics
|March 15, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric epilepsy surgery significantly reduces family burden in children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). This intervention also leads to decreased seizure and behavioral issues, improving overall family well-being.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Epileptology
  • Neurosurgery

Background:

  • Family burden (FB) is substantially higher in pediatric patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) compared to those without DRE.
  • Epilepsy surgery is a recognized treatment for DRE, but its impact on family burden requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the effect of pediatric epilepsy surgery on family burden in children with focal structural DRE.
  • To explore the relationship between pre-operative cognitive, behavioral, and epilepsy-specific factors and family burden.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 31 pediatric patients with focal structural DRE undergoing epilepsy surgery.
  • Assessment of family burden using the German version of the Impact on Family Scale before and after surgery.
  • Correlation of family burden with cognitive, behavioral, and epilepsy-specific data.

Main Results:

  • A significant reduction in family burden (75.0%) was observed post-surgery.
  • Eighty-seven percent of patients achieved seizure freedom, and behavioral problems decreased by 85.7%.
  • Cognitive functions remained stable after epilepsy surgery, and pre-operative cognitive impairment correlated with higher family burden.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric epilepsy surgery is effective in reducing family burden for children with DRE.
  • Communicating the positive impact of epilepsy surgery on families is crucial for informed decision-making.
Abstract

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