title: Temporal lobectomy for refractory epilepsy in the U.S. military.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the characteristics, seizure outcomes, and quality-of-life outcomes for military beneficiaries undergoing partial temporal lobectomy for refractory epilepsy at the only U.S. military medical center with a comprehensive epilepsy surgery program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of all 84 patients treated with partial temporal lobectomy between 1986 and 2000 at Walter Reed Army Medical Center were retrospectively reviewed. Outcome measures included seizure frequency according to the Engel classification system, driving, employment, anticonvulsant use, and military service.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study cohort consisted of 72 military dependents, 10 active duty military members, and 2 military retirees. Two years after surgery, 65 (92%) of 71 patients had seizure improvement (Engel classes I-III) and 46 (66%) of 71 had seizure remission (Engel class I). Driving and employment rates increased after surgery, whereas anticonvulsant use decreased. Five (50%) of 10 active duty patients achieved seizure remission postoperatively and continued to serve in the Armed Forces. Active duty patients had a later age of seizure onset, shorter duration of epilepsy, and greater proportion of lesional epilepsy, compared with nonactive duty patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epilepsy surgery outcomes in the U.S. military are similar to those reported from nonmilitary centers, with the majority of patients experiencing seizure remission and improvements in quality-of-life measures. Complete seizure remission after successful anterior temporal lobectomy enables some active duty military members to continue service in the U.S. Armed Forces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, DC 20307, USA.
authors.forename: Jay C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ellenbogen
authors.forename: Kaveh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khajevi
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mulligan
authors.forename: Gwendolyn C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Ford
authors.forename: Bahman
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jabbari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D038481:Anterior Temporal Lobectomy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006772:Hospitals, Military; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland; D008875:Middle Aged; D008887:Military Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States