[Experiences with surgical therapy of epilepsy in children]

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Pediatric Neurology
• Epileptology

Context:

• Focal epilepsy in children presents significant challenges for conservative treatment.
• Surgical intervention is considered when medical therapies fail.

Purpose:

• To analyze the outcomes of surgical interventions for focal epilepsy in pediatric patients.
• To evaluate the efficacy of different surgical techniques, including hemispherectomy, lobectomy, and cortical excision.
• To discuss indications, age considerations, and potential failures in pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Summary:

• Fifteen pediatric patients with focal epilepsy underwent surgical procedures: hemispherectomy (3), lobectomy (6), and cortical excision (6).
• Follow-up ranged from 5 months to 7 years, revealing 60% excellent outcomes, 20% improvement, and 20% no improvement.
• The study highlights the importance of timely surgical intervention before irreversible psychic changes occur and the necessity of precise functional brain tissue analysis.

Impact:

• Surgical intervention can halt the progression of epilepsy and prevent secondary involvement of the centrencephalic system.
• The findings suggest no absolute age limit for epilepsy surgery in children, emphasizing functional assessment.
• Careful patient selection and meticulous surgical technique are vital for optimizing outcomes and minimizing complications.