Epilepsy surgery in children with gliomatosis cerebri Article

Maton, B, Resnick, T, Jayakar, P et al. (2007). Epilepsy surgery in children with gliomatosis cerebri . EPILEPSIA, 48(8), 1485-1490. 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2007.01125.x

cited authors

  • Maton, B; Resnick, T; Jayakar, P; Morrison, G; Duchowny, M

authors

abstract

  • Purpose: Gliomatosis cerebri (GC) is a rare neoplastic disorder that may present as intractable epilepsy during early life. We report our experience regarding the evaluation and the surgical treatment of epilepsy in this population. Methods: All children evaluated between 1990 and 2006 for surgery of epilepsy (n = 741) with pathologically proven GC were selected. Results: We identified four male children with age at seizure onset ranging from 4 months to 11 years. Two had hemiparesis and one child with infantile spasms was developmentally delayed. Seizures occurred daily (n = 3) or monthly (n = 1). Ictal semiology was consistent with psychomotor seizures (n = 1), partial motor seizures (n = 2), and asymmetric epileptic spasms (n = 1). Surgery was symptomatic and aimed at debulking and controlling the epilepsy. Procedure was individually tailored based on the presurgical evaluation. Brain MRI revealed widespread hemispheric involvement (n = 3) or infiltration of the temporal lobe and basal ganglia (n = 1). Two patients were initially misdiagnosed as hemispheric cortical dysplasia and hemimegalencephaly. Scalp EEG was nonlocalizing in two cases, showed a right temporal focus in one case, and was not performed in one case. Interictal SPECT in one patient revealed widespread hemispheric hypoperfusion. Three cases were resected under ECoG guidance after a mean delay of 11 months after seizure onset. Following functional hemispherectomy (n = 1) or focal cortical resection (n = 2), all children were alive and seizure free with a mean follow-up of 48 months (2-5 years). No unexpected complication was reported. One nonoperated case was alive but still seizing after 15 months follow-up. Chemotherapy was associated in three cases. Conclusions: GC is a rare cause of medically resistant epilepsy that may present in early life. The lack of a discrete lesion may lead to diagnostic uncertainty, especially in infancy. Epilepsy surgery is an effective therapy that can improve quality of life. © 2007 International League Against Epilepsy.

publication date

  • August 1, 2007

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 1485

end page

  • 1490

volume

  • 48

issue

  • 8