Keyhole approach for total corpus callosotomy

To compare the surgical outcomes of corpus callosotomy (CC) performed using the keyhole approach (KA) and the traditional approach (TA) and demonstrate the efficacy and safety of total corpus callosotomy via the keyhole approach.

Patients with medically refractory epilepsy who underwent CC between February 2017 and September 2024 were retrospectively included. The CC keyhole surgical technique is described. Surgical outcomes, postoperative complications, and seizure controls were analyzed between patients who underwent CC via the KA and the TA.

A total of 31 patients undergoing CC via the KA and 50 patients undergoing CC via the TA were enrolled. CC via the KA demonstrated statistically shorter surgical duration (109.84 ± 5.55 vs. 183.90 ± 13.55 min, p < 0.001), shorter incision length (6.0 vs. 15.0 cm, p < 0.001), smaller craniotomy size (3.53 vs. 20.00 cm², p < 0.001), less blood loss (34.35 ± 8.14 vs. 107.20 ± 28.88 mL, p < 0.001), shorter postoperative hospital stays (6.0 days vs. 7.5 days, p < 0.001), lower rates of postoperative fever (6.25% vs. 22.00%, p = 0.038), and a lower incidence of subcutaneous effusion compared with the TA (3.23% vs. 18.00%, p = 0.047). There were no statistically significant differences in the seizure outcomes between patients who underwent CC via the KA and the TA (p = 0.98).

CC conducted via the KA was shown to be an effective technique for treating medically refractory epilepsy with a shorter incision, smaller craniotomy, less blood loss, shorter operative times, shorter hospital stays, and a lower incidence of complications. The seizure outcome of CC via the KA for medically refractory epilepsy is not inferior to that of the TA.