Trends, outcomes, and complications of surgery for lesional epilepsy in infants and toddlers: A multicenter study.
Carmen BarbaVeronica PellicciaLaura GrisottoLuca De PalmaGiulia NobileFrancesca GozzoMartina RevayGiusy Carfi-PaviaMassimo CossuFlavio GiordanoAlessandro ConsalesDe Benedictis AlessandroElena CavalliniCristina MionClaudia AccollaNicola SpecchioLino NobiliRenzo GuerriniLaura TassiPublished in: Epilepsia open (2024)
This study analyzed the results of epilepsy surgery in 160 children who had been operated on before the age of 3 years at four Italian centers between 1998 and 2022. At the last follow-up (77 ± 57.4 months), 121 patients (75.6%) were free from disabling seizures, of which 106 (66.2%) were completely seizure-free since surgery. Major surgical complications occurred in 28 patients (17.5%), which is higher than observed with epilepsy surgery in general, but similar to hemispheric/multilobar surgery. Postoperative cognitive function remained unchanged in 56 patients (44.4%), improved in 51 (40.5%), and worsened in 19 (15.1%). Epilepsy surgery is effective and safe in infants and toddlers.