Epilepsy surgery in children: Evaluation of seizure outcome and predictive elements

Summary Purpose To analyze the clinical outcome of epilepsy surgery in children, and to identify the factors related with a favorable seizure control among several presurgical, surgical and postsurgical variables. Methods One-hundred twenty children, younger than 16 years (69 male and 51 female), operated on for medically refractory focal epilepsy at the “C.Munari” Epilepsy Surgery Center of the Niguarda Hospital in Milan from 1998 to 2009, were identified. Seizure outcome was assessed according to the Engel's classification. Statistical analysis was performed to identify predictive elements of seizure outcome among several presurgical, surgical, and postsurgical variables. Key findings There were 84 (70%) seizure-free patients (Engel's classes Ia and Ic), 93 (77.5%) in class I, 8 (6.7%) in class II, 9 in class III (7.5%), and 10 (8.3%) in class IV. Significance Our study confirms that epilepsy surgery is an established and effective treatment for partial epilepsy in children and suggest criteria to help identify early potential surgical candidates.