title: Short-term follow-up of stereotactic Gamma Knife radiosurgery in epilepsy.
abstract: The efficacy of stereotactic Gamma Knife radiosurgery (STGKRS) for epilepsy was assessed in 9 patients followed up for more than 1 year. The mean duration of seizures was 9 years (range 1-22 years). In all 9 patients the epilepsy was classified as medically intractable. MRI showed nonprogressive focal cerebral lesions of less than 2.0 cm in size with or without calcification. After STGKRS, 8 patients had an excellent result (seizure free, single seizure episode, or auras only). In 2 of these patients antiepileptic drug therapy could be discontinued. One patient had no worthwhile improvement. Neither the anatomic distribution of the lesion on neuroimaging study nor extracranial EEG-recorded epileptiform activity appeared to be significant determinants of outcome. Radiation-induced edema did not seem to affect the outcome of seizure control. This preliminary report indicates that, in selected patients with medically intractable seizures associated with a focal cerebral lesion, STGKRS may be effective in controlling or greatly reducing the seizures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Whang
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016634:Radiosurgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome