Temporal Lobectomy for Intractable Epilepsy
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RESEARCH—HUMAN—CLINICAL STUDIES TOPIC RESEARCH—HUMAN—CLINICAL STUDIES Seizure Types and Frequency in Patients Who “Fail” Temporal Lobectomy for Intractable Epilepsy Dario J. Englot, MD, PhD*‡ BACKGROUND: Temporal lobectomy can lead to favorable seizure outcomes in Anthony T. Lee, BS*‡ medically-refractory temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Although most studies focus on Catherine Tsai, BS*‡ seizure freedom after temporal lobectomy, less is known about seizure semiology in patients who “fail” surgery. Morbidity differs between seizure types that impair or spare Cathra Halabi, MD*§ consciousness. Among TLE patients with seizures after surgery, how does temporal Nicholas M. Barbaro, MD¶ lobectomy influence seizure type and frequency? Kurtis I. Auguste, MD*‡jj OBJECTIVE: To characterize seizure types and frequencies before and after temporal Paul A. Garcia, MD*§ lobectomy for TLE, including consciousness-sparing or consciousness-impairing seizures. Edward F. Chang, MD*‡ METHODS: We performed a retrospective longitudinal cohort study examining pa- tients undergoing temporal lobectomy for epilepsy at our institution from January 1995 *UCSF Epilepsy Center, University of to August 2010. California, San Francisco, California; ‡Department of Neurological Sur- RESULTS: Among 241 TLE patients who received temporal lobectomy, 174 (72.2%) gery, University of California, San Fran- patients achieved Engel class I outcome (free of disabling seizures), including 141 cisco, California; §Department of (58.5%) with complete seizure freedom. Overall seizure frequency in patients with Neurology, University of California, San , Francisco, California; ¶Department of persistent postoperative seizures decreased by 70% (P .01), with larger reductions in Neurological Surgery, Indiana University consciousness-impairing seizures. While the number of patients experiencing School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; consciousness-sparing simple partial seizures decreased by only 19% after surgery, the jjChildren’s Hospital and Research Center Oakland, Oakland, California number of individuals having consciousness-impairing complex partial seizures and generalized tonic-clonic seizures diminished by 70% and 68%, respectively (P , .001). Correspondence: Simple partial seizure was the predominant seizure type in 19.1% vs 37.0% of patients Dario J. Englot, MD, PhD, preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively (P , .001). Favorable seizure outcome Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, was predicted by a lack of generalized seizures preoperatively (odds ratio 1.74, 95% 505 Parnassus Ave, Box 0112, confidence interval 1.06-2.86, P , .5). San Francisco, CA 94143-0112. CONCLUSION: Given important clinical and mechanistic differences between seizures E-mail: [email protected] with or without impairment of consciousness, seizure type and frequency remain Received, April 12, 2013. important considerations in epilepsy surgery. Accepted, July 18, 2013. Published Online, August 5, 2013. KEY WORDS: Consciousness, Epilepsy surgery, Outcomes, Seizure types Neurosurgery 73:838–844, 2013 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0000000000000120 www.neurosurgery-online.com Copyright ª 2013 by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons n 30% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy intractable TLE, and 60% to 80% of patients (TLE), the most common epilepsy syndrome, achieve freedom from disabling seizures after I 4,5 seizures are refractory to antiepileptic drugs, surgery. Most clinical studies of temporal lobec- leading to significant morbidity and even mor- tomy evaluate rates and predictors of postoperative tality.1-3 Class I evidence has demonstrated that seizure freedom, and patients who continue to temporal lobectomy is an effective treatment for have seizures after resection are routinely consid- ered to have “failed” surgical therapy.6,7 There is some merit to an all-or-none viewpoint of epilepsy SANS LifeLong Learning and ABBREVIATIONS: AED, antiepileptic drug; CPS, surgery outcomes, because, indeed, seizure free- NEUROSURGERY offer CME for subscribers complex partial seizure; ECoG, electrocorticogra- dom is the single most important predictor of that complete questions about featured phy; EEG, electroencephalography; GTCS, gener- quality of life after epilepsy surgery.8,9 Owing in articles. Questions are located on the SANS alized tonic-clonic seizure; SPS, simple partial part to this perspective, however, less is known website (http://sans.cns.org/). Please read seizure; TLE, temporal lobe epilepsy; UCSF, Uni- the featured article and then log into SANS versity of California, San Francisco about the specific seizure types and frequencies for this educational offering. that continue to occur in patients who “fail” 838 | VOLUME 73 | NUMBER 5 | NOVEMBER 2013 www.neurosurgery-online.com Copyright © Congress of Neurological Surgeons. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. SEIZURE TYPES AFTER TEMPORAL LOBECTOMY temporal lobectomy. Because different seizure types have variable Institute policies, and research protocols were approved by the UCSF impact on patients, a better understanding of seizure burden after Committee on Human Research. “failed” temporal lobectomy will offer insight into the full impact of The decision to proceed to surgery was made by a comprehensive team surgery. at the UCSF Epilepsy Center, including adult and pediatric epileptolo- In TLE, seizures may include both partial and secondarily gists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neuropsychologists, and other practitioners. Standard preoperative workup included structural magnetic generalized events.10 Generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCSs) resonance imaging (MRI), EEG, neuropsychology evaluation; and the are the most severe self-limited seizure type, in which seizure workup often also included magnetoencephalography, positron emission activity propagates from the temporal lobe to widespread bilateral tomography, WADA testing of language and memory lateralization, and cortical regions, causing loss of consciousness, convulsive motor long-term video/EEG monitoring with or without surgically implanted 11 activity, and postictal confusion. Frequent GTCSs also increase subdural and depth electrodes, in addition to standard surgical and the risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy.12,13 Among anesthesiologic evaluation. Anterior temporal lobectomy was performed partial seizures in TLE, complex partial seizures (CPSs) are the by 1 of 4 neurosurgeons, with resection including the anterior middle and most common form. Similar to GTCSs, they are associated with inferior temporal gyri, anterior hippocampus, and amygdala. Resections impaired consciousness and sometimes involve motor activity were customized to incorporate regions of identified epileptogenic zones such as facial automatisms.14 Simple partial seizures (SPSs) are and/or cerebral lesions, and to preserve eloquent cortex, where applicable. the least severe seizure type, during which consciousness in Intraoperative electrocorticography (ECoG) was used in approximately 14 half of surgeries to further guide resection. Awake intraoperative language spared. SPSs include simple motor seizures and include isolated mapping using direct cortical stimulation was used for appropriate auras, which typically occur in a few characteristic patterns in 15 candidates when the resection involved the dominant hemisphere. TLE, as we have previously described. Consciousness-impairing Surgical specimens were analyzed by neuropathologists. seizures in TLE can lead to significant morbidity, including motor Inpatient and outpatient provider notes, diagnostic and laboratory vehicle accidents, drownings, diminished work and school perfor- reports, and operative records were reviewed. We recorded patient age, mance, and decreased quality of life.16-20 Furthermore, neuro- sex, handedness, duration of epilepsy, antiepileptic drug (AED) use history, imaging and electrographic studies have revealed substantial surgical history, neuroimaging results, EEG results, use of implanted differences in brain network activity during partial seizures intracranial electrodes for long-term recording, details of resection extent, side of surgery, use of intraoperative ECoG, and pathological findings. involving spared vs impaired consciousness. Intracranial electroen- ’ cephalography (EEG) and single positron emission computed Details regarding the patient s epilepsy history and seizure semiology, including seizure type and frequency, were obtained from preoperative and tomography studies of TLE have shown that CPSs are associated postoperative charting performed by epileptologists. Specific seizure types with depressed frontoparietal neocortical function and aberrant tracked included GTCSs (bilateral convulsive activity with loss of subcortical and brainstem activity, whereas abnormal network consciousness and postictal impairment), CPSs (partial seizures without 21,22 activity in SPSs appears confined to the temporal lobe of origin. convulsion but with impairment of consciousness, awareness, or ability to Temporal lobectomy disrupts these seizure networks, completely interact during the event), and SPSs (partial seizures with preserved halting seizures in the most fortunate patients. However, among consciousness). Isolated auras, which are considered a type of SPS,23,24 individuals who continue to have postoperative seizures, the effects were included as such. Epilepsy risk factors were recorded and tallied, of temporal lobectomy on consciousness-sparing