[Lessons learnt from 101 hemispherotomies in children with symptomatic epilepsy. Part I: seizure outcome].

Developmental pathology, infantile spasms and younger age onset of seizures are negative predictors for achievement of SF-status (p<0.05). Neither bilateral epileptic EEG-signs, nor MRI-abnormalities in «healthy» hemisphere had any relation to outcome, but focal seizure onset was associated positively with further SF-status (p = 0.03). Kids with multiple lobe unilateral CD do somewhat worse than their counterparts with hemimegalencephaly and acquired etiology. Post-hemispherotomy hemiparesis (either new or worsening of already existed one) has no relation either to the age at surgery, or to the age onset (p = 0.41). Children with left-sided lesions were less successful in every neurodevelopmental domain except maintaining expressive language. Patients with relapse or persisting seizures have good chances to become SF by re-doing hemispherotomy and should be evaluated for the possibly incomplete hemispheric isolation.