Acute postoperative seizures after epilepsy surgery - a long-term outcome predictor?
OBJECTIVE
The prognostic value of acute postoperative seizures (APS) after epilepsy surgery is much debated. This study evaluated APS, defined as seizures in the first week post-surgery, as a predictor of long-term seizure outcome, and investigated the utility of other potential outcome predictors.


METHODS
Medical records of 48 patients with temporal and extra-temporal epilepsy surgery were studied. Forty patients had lesional surgery. All had at least 2 year postoperative follow-up.


RESULTS
At 2 year follow-up, 25 patients (53%) were seizure free. Univariate analysis showed that APS (P = 0.048), using ≥ six AEDs prior to surgery (P = 0.03), pathological postoperative EEG (P = 0.043) and female gender (P = 0.012) were associated with seizure recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Univariate analysis indicate that APS, a high number of AEDs used prior to surgery, and pathological postoperative EEG are possible predictors of seizure recurrence after epilepsy surgery. Only gender retained significance in the multivariate analysis.
Alfstad
K Å
KÅ
National Centre for Epilepsy, Rikshospitalet University Hospital, Oslo, Norway. kristin.alfstad@epilepsy.no
Lossius
M I
MI
Røste
G K
GK
Mowinckel
P
P
Scheie
D
D
Borota
O C
OC
Larsson
P G
PG
Nakken
K O
KO
D000328:Adult; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012640:Seizures / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult