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OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative seizure outcome in children with drug-resistant epilepsy not eligible for focal resection who underwent corpus callosotomy. METHODS: The study included 16 patients undergoing corpus callosotomy between September 2015 and May 2018. Seizure semiology and frequency, psychomotor status, and video electroencephalography and imaging findings were evaluated for all patients. RESULTS: Of the 16 patients who underwent callosotomy during the study period, 11 underwent complete callosotomy and 5 underwent anterior only. Seizure improvement greater than 75% was achieved in 37.5% of patients, and another 50% of patients had seizure improvement of 50%-75%. No sustained neurological deficits were observed in these patients. There were no significant complications. Duration of postoperative follow-up ranged from 12 to 44 months. CONCLUSIONS: Corpus callosotomy is an effective treatment for selected patients with drug-resistant epilepsy not eligible for focal resection in resource-limited settings. Fostering and developing international epilepsy surgery centers should remain a high priority for the neurosurgical community at large.

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OBJECTIVE Stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) and MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) have both emerged as minimally invasive alternatives to open surgery for the localization and treatment of medically refractory lesional epilepsy. Although some data are available about the use of these procedures individually, reports are almost nonexistent on their use in conjunction. The authors' aim was to report early outcomes regarding efficacy and safety of sEEG followed by MRgLITT for localization and ablation of seizure foci in the pediatric population with medically refractory lesional epilepsy. METHODS A single-center retrospective review of pediatric patients who underwent sEEG followed by MRgLITT procedures was performed. Demographic, intraoperative, and outcome data were compiled and analyzed. RESULTS Four pediatric patients with 9 total lesions underwent sEEG followed by MRgLITT procedures between January and September 2017. The mean age at surgery was 10.75 (range 2-21) years. Two patients had tuberous sclerosis and 2 had focal cortical dysplasia. Methods of stereotaxy consisted of BrainLab VarioGuide and ROSA robotic guidance, with successful localization of seizure foci in all cases. The sEEG procedure length averaged 153 (range 67-235) minutes, with a mean of 6 (range 4-8) electrodes and 56 (range 18-84) contacts per patient. The MRgLITT procedure length averaged 223 (range 179-252) minutes. The mean duration of monitoring was 6 (range 4-8) days, and the mean total hospital stay was 8 (range 5-11) days. Over a mean follow-up duration of 9.3 (range 5.1-16) months, 3 patients were seizure free (Engel class I, 75%), and 1 patient saw significant improvement in seizure frequency (Engel class II, 25%). There were no complications. CONCLUSIONS These early data demonstrate that sEEG followed by MRgLITT can be used safely and effectively to localize and ablate epileptogenic foci in a minimally invasive paradigm for treatment of medically refractory lesional epilepsy in pediatric populations. Continued collection of data with extended follow-up is needed.

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The responsive neurostimulation (RNS) system, an adjunctive treatment for pharmacoresistant partial-onset seizures with 1 or 2 foci, has been available to patients aged 18 years or older since the device's FDA approval in 2013. Herein, the authors describe their off-label application of this technology in 2 pediatric patients and the consequent therapeutic benefit without surgical complications or treatment side effects. A 14-year-old nonambulatory, nonverbal male with severe developmental delay was considered for RNS therapy for medically and surgically refractory epilepsy with bilateral seizure onsets in the setting of a normal radiological examination and a known neuropathological diagnosis of type I cortical dysplasia. The RNS system was implanted with strip electrodes placed on the left lateral frontal and right lateral temporal neocortex. At 19 months' follow-up, cortical stimulation resulted in sustained reduction in both seizure frequency-3 seizures per day down from 15 to 30 per day-and seizure severity. The patient subsequently underwent a trial of corticothalamic stimulation with a right temporal cortical strip and a left thalamic depth electrode, which resulted in a further 50% reduction in seizure frequency. In a second case, a 9-year-old right-handed female with radiological evidence of a small watershed infarct on the left and medically refractory seizures was referred for presurgical evaluation. Invasive monitoring revealed an unresectable seizure focus in the eloquent cortex of the left posterior frontal and parietal lobes. The RNS device was implanted with cortical leads placed at the putative seizure focus. At 21 months after surgery, the patient had been seizure free for 4 months, following a 17-month period in which the seizure frequency had decreased from 12 per month to 2 per month, with associated functional and behavioral improvement. The authors' results suggest that RNS may be a palliative option for children with intractable seizures whose condition warrants off-label use of the surgical device. The improved therapeutic effect noted with time and sustained RNS treatment points to a possible neuromodulatory effect.

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OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to report outcomes of epilepsy surgery in 56 consecutive patients with autism spectrum disorder. METHODS Medical records of 56 consecutive patients with autism who underwent epilepsy surgery were reviewed with regard to clinical characteristics, surgical management, postoperative seizure control, and behavioral changes. RESULTS Of the 56 patients with autism, 39 were male, 45 were severely autistic, 27 had a history of clinically significant levels of aggression and other disruptive behaviors, and 30 were considered nonverbal at baseline. Etiology of the epilepsy was known in 32 cases, and included structural lesions, medical history, and developmental and genetic factors. Twenty-nine patients underwent resective treatments (in 8 cases combined with palliative procedures), 24 patients had only palliative treatments, and 3 patients had only subdural electroencephalography. Eighteen of the 56 patients had more than one operation. The mean age at surgery was 11 ± 6.5 years (range 1.5-35 years). At a mean follow-up of 47 ± 30 months (range 2-117 months), seizure outcomes included 20 Engel Class I, 12 Engel Class II, 18 Engel Class III, and 3 Engel Class IV cases. The age and follow-up times are stated as the mean ± SD. Three patients were able to discontinue all antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). Aggression and other aberrant behaviors observed in the clinical setting improved in 24 patients. According to caregivers, most patients also experienced some degree of improvement in daily social and cognitive function. Three patients had no functional or behavioral changes associated with seizure reduction, and 2 patients experienced worsening of seizures and behavioral symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Epilepsy surgery in patients with autism is feasible, with no indication that the comorbidity of autism should preclude a good outcome. Resective and palliative treatments brought seizure freedom or seizure reduction to the majority of patients, although one-third of the patients in this study required more than one procedure to achieve worthwhile improvement in the long term, and few patients were able to discontinue all AEDs. The number of palliative procedures performed, the need for multiple interventions, and continued use of AEDs highlight the complex etiology of epilepsy in patients with autism spectrum disorder. These considerations underscore the need for continued analysis, review, and reporting of surgical outcomes in patients with autism, which may aid in better identification and management of surgical candidates. The reduction in aberrant behaviors observed in this series suggests that some behaviors previously attributed to autism may be associated with intractable epilepsy, and further highlights the need for systematic evaluation of the relationship between the symptoms of autism and refractory seizures.

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