title: Long term follow-up of the first 70 operated adults in the Goteborg Epilepsy Surgery Series with respect to seizures, psychosocial outcome and use of antiepileptic drugs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare long term (10 years) seizure outcome, psychosocial outcome and use of antiepileptic drugs (AED) with the 2 year follow-up in adults after resective epilepsy surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  All adults (n = 70) who underwent resective epilepsy surgery from 1987 to 1995 in the Göteborg Epilepsy Surgery Series were included. Fifty-four had undergone temporal lobe resections and 16 extratemporal resections (12 frontal). A cross-sectional follow-up in the form of a semistructured interview was performed in late 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean follow-up was 12.4 years (range 8.6-16.2). Of the 70 patients (51% males), five (7%) were dead (three as a result of non-epilepsy related causes). Of the 65 patients interviewed, 38 (58%) were seizure-free at the long term follow-up: 65% of the patients with temporal lobe resections and 36% of the patients with extratemporal resections. Of the 35 patients who were seizure-free at the 2 year follow-up, 3 (9%) had seizures at the long term follow-up. Of the 30 patients who had seizures at the 2 year follow-up, 6 (20%) were seizure-free at the long term follow-up. Of all 65 patients, 45 (69%) had the same seizure status as the 2 year follow-up. Sixteen (25%) had an improved seizure status and 4 (6%) had a worsened status. Of the seizure-free patients, 11 (29%) had ceased taking AED, 28 (74%) were working and 25 (66%) had a driving license.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adult patients who are seizure-free 2 years after resective epilepsy surgery are most likely to still be seizure-free 10 years later. Most are working and have obtained a driving license.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Research Group, Section of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, SE 413 45 Göteborg, Sweden. Fredrik.asztely@neuro.gu.se
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Asztely
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ekstedt
authors.forename: Bertil
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rydenhag
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Malmgren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D011584:Psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants