Seizure control following tumor surgery for childhood cortical low-grade gliomas.
Detailed preoperative electroencephalographic (EEG) studies are now recommended for children with seizures and cortical tumors to define seizure foci prior to surgery. To develop a historical perspective for better evaluation of results from series reporting tumor removal combined with resection of seizure foci, the authors reviewed seizure outcome in 60 children with seizures and low-grade neoplasms treated consecutively since 1981 by surgical resection without concomitant EEG monitoring or electrocortical mapping. Forty-seven of the 60 tumors were totally or near-totally resected; 45 patients were seizure-free and two were significantly improved 1 year following surgery. Of the 50 children in this series with more than five seizures prior to surgery, 36 were seizure-free, two were significantly improved, and 12 were not improved. Factors associated with poor seizure control included a parietal tumor location, a partial tumor resection, and a history of seizures for more than 1 year prior to surgery. The children at highest risk for poor seizure control at 2 years had experienced seizures for more than 1 year prior to surgery and had undergone partial resection of their parietal low-grade glial tumors or gangliogliomas. In contradistinction, the best seizure control was seen in patients with totally resected low-grade gliomas or gangliogliomas who had experienced seizures for less than 1 year (concordance rates for being seizure-free ranged from 78% to 86%). Long-term seizure control remained excellent. These results suggest that seizure control can be obtained 2 years following tumor surgery in the majority of children with presumed tumors after extensive tumor resection without concomitant EEG monitoring or electrocortical mapping.
Packer
R J
RJ
Department of Neurology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC.
Sutton
L N
LN
Patel
K M
KM
Duhaime
A C
AC
Schiff
S
S
Weinstein
S R
SR
Gaillard
W D
WD
Conry
J A
JA
Schut
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D018303:Ganglioglioma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D005910:Glioma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*