Surgical treatment of patients with low-grade astrocytomas and medically intractable seizures.
OBJECTIVE
Low-grade astrocytomas can present with seizures that respond poorly to antiseizure medications, with a consequent reduction in the quality of life, because of both seizures and the medication's side-effects. We report our experience with operative treatment of such patients.


METHODS
Five patients (two children and three adults) with supratentorial low-grade astrocytomas associated with severe seizures were operated on. We followed the effects of the operation on post-operative neurological deficit, seizure frequency and the quality of life.


RESULTS
No serious neurological complications followed the operations. The patients were followed for a median period of 12 months (6-46). Post-operatively, three of the patients became seizure-free, one experiences only auras, and one had a great reduction in seizure frequency and severity. All patients reported great improvement in their quality of life.


CONCLUSIONS
Resections of low-grade astrocytomas in patients with medically intractable seizures are safe procedures that effectively control seizures in the majority of patients, resulting in significant improvement in the patients' quality of life.
Gunnarsson
T
T
Department of Neurosurgery, The National University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland. thorsteinn.gunnarsson@lio.se
Olafsson
E
E
Sighvatsson
V
V
Hannesson
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015173:Supratentorial Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*