Resective reoperation for failed epilepsy surgery: seizure outcome in 64 patients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the surgical outcome and factors of predictive value in patients undergoing reoperation for intractable partial epilepsy.


METHODS
The authors retrospectively studied the operative outcome in 64 consecutive patients who underwent reoperation for intractable partial epilepsy. Demographic data, results of comprehensive preoperative evaluations, and the seizure and neurologic outcome after reoperation were determined. All patients were followed a minimum of 1 year subsequent to their last operative procedure.


RESULTS
Fifty-three patients had two surgeries, and 11 patients had three or more operations. The first surgery involved a lesionectomy (n = 33), "nonlesional" temporal lobe resection (n = 28), and a "nonlesional" extratemporal resection (n = 3). The mean duration between the first and second procedure was 5.5 years. Fifty-five patients underwent an intralobar reoperation, whereas nine had a resection of a different lobe. After reoperation, 25 patients (39%) were free of seizure, 6 patients (9%) had rare seizures, 12 patients (19%) had a worthwhile improvement, and 21 patients (33%) failed to respond to surgery. Predictors of seizure-free outcome were age at seizure onset >15 years (p = 0.01), duration of epilepsy < or =5 years at the time of initial surgery (p = 0.03), and focal interictal discharges in scalp EEG (p = 0.03). Using a logistic regression model, two significant predictors emerged: duration of epilepsy < or =5 years (odds ratio, 3.18; p = 0.04) and preoperative focal interictal discharge (odds ratio, 4.45; p = 0.02). Complications of reoperation included visual field deficits (n = 9), wound infection (n = 2), subdural hematoma (n = 1), and hemiparesis (n = 1).


CONCLUSIONS
Reoperation may be an appropriate alternative form of treatment for selected patients with intractable partial epilepsy who fail to respond to initial surgery.
Siegel
A M
AM
Division of Epilepsy, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. gcasc
Cascino
G D
GD
Meyer
F B
FB
McClelland
R L
RL
So
E L
EL
Marsh
W R
WR
Scheithauer
B W
BW
Sharbrough
F W
FW
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005911:Gliosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014402:Tuberous Sclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery