Sign in Subscribe
Epilepsy

Epilepsy Surgery in Infants and Toddlers Effective and Safe, Study Finds

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Epilepsy surgery can be an effective treatment option for infants and toddlers with certain types of epilepsy, a recent study has found. The research, conducted at four Italian centers, examined the outcomes of epilepsy surgery in 160 children who had been operated on before the age of 3 years. The study found that 75.6% of patients were free from disabling seizures, with 66.2% being completely seizure-free since surgery. Additionally, postoperative cognitive function improved in 40.5% of patients, while remaining unchanged in 44.4% and worsening in 15.1%.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that epilepsy surgery is effective and safe in infants and toddlers, with 75.6% of patients being free from disabling seizures.
  • 66.2% of patients were completely seizure-free since surgery, and 40.5% experienced cognitive improvement.
  • Major surgical complications occurred in 17.5% of patients, which is higher than observed with epilepsy surgery in general, but similar to hemispheric/multilobar surgery.
  • Shorter duration of epilepsy, lower seizure frequency, no need for video-EEG, tumors, and certain malformations of cortical development are robust predictors of seizure and cognitive outcome.
  • The study suggests that earlier referral for epilepsy surgery may lead to better outcomes for infants and toddlers.

Statistics:

  • 160 children underwent surgery for lesional epilepsy at four Italian centers between 1998 and 2022.
  • 121 patients (75.6%) were free from disabling seizures at the last follow-up, with 106 (66.2%) being completely seizure-free since surgery.
  • 28 patients (17.5%) experienced major surgical complications.
  • 56 patients (44.4%) experienced unchanged postoperative cognitive function, while 19 (15.1%) experienced cognitive worsening.
  • The number of patients operated on after 2014 was higher than before, with stable outcomes.

Sources:

  • "Trends, outcomes, and complications of surgery for lesional epilepsy in infants and toddlers: A multicenter study." Epilepsia Open 2024.
  • Niguarda Hospital, C. Munari Epilepsy Surgery Center, Milan, Italy.
  • Epilepsia Open, 111 River St, Hoboken 07030-5774, NJ, USA.

Read more