Flavio Giordano1, Barbara Spacca2, Carmen Barba3, Francesco Mari3, Tiziana Pisano3, Renzo Guerrini3, Lorenzo Genitori2. 1. Neurosurgery - Department of Neurosciences, Anna Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy. flavio.giordano@meyer.it. 2. Neurosurgery - Department of Neurosciences, Anna Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Viale Pieraccini 24, 50139, Florence, Italy. 3. Pediatric Neurology Clinic - Department of Neurosciences, Anna Meyer Pediatric Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Hemispherectomy and disconnective hemispherotomy are the most effective epilepsy surgical procedures for the treatment of epilepsy due to hemispheric pathologies such as Sturge-Weber syndrome, diffuse hemispheric cortical dysplasia, and posttraumatic and postischemic focal lesions. Disconnective hemispherotomy is nowadays preferred to reduce surgical morbidity in term of early and late complications (i.e., cerebral superficial hemosiderosis). Despite the number of existing technical variants conceived to further reduce the amount of brain tissue to be removed, postoperative hydrocephalus still persists and may account for an average incidence of 15-41% according to different series and reviews. A new variant of disconnective vertical hemispherotomy we termed vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy is described aiming to further reduce the amount of removed brain tissue and so the risk of postoperative hydrocephalus in favor of a pure hemispheric disconnection. METHODS: Three patients affected by drug-resistant epilepsy due to different hemispheric pathologies (posttraumatic epilepsy, Sturge-Weber syndrome, diffuse hemispheric cortical dysplasia) were considered to be candidates for vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy disconnective based on presurgical evaluation protocol. The oldest patient was 15 years old, the two youngest were both 2 years old. RESULTS: None of the patients experienced early and late surgical complications. After a mean follow-up of 36 months (range 12-60 months), two patients were seizure free, one relapsed seizures 18 months later. Postoperative hydrocephalus never occurred. CONCLUSION: Vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy may be an efficacious and less invasive technique as it consists in a pure disconnection of the hemisphere with less amount of brain tissue removed and a theoretical reduced risk of postoperative hydrocephalus.
PURPOSE: Hemispherectomy and disconnective hemispherotomy are the most effective epilepsy surgical procedures for the treatment of epilepsy due to hemispheric pathologies such as Sturge-Weber syndrome, diffuse hemispheric cortical dysplasia, and posttraumatic and postischemic focal lesions. Disconnective hemispherotomy is nowadays preferred to reduce surgical morbidity in term of early and late complications (i.e., cerebral superficial hemosiderosis). Despite the number of existing technical variants conceived to further reduce the amount of brain tissue to be removed, postoperative hydrocephalus still persists and may account for an average incidence of 15-41% according to different series and reviews. A new variant of disconnective vertical hemispherotomy we termed vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy is described aiming to further reduce the amount of removed brain tissue and so the risk of postoperative hydrocephalus in favor of a pure hemispheric disconnection. METHODS: Three patients affected by drug-resistant epilepsy due to different hemispheric pathologies (posttraumatic epilepsy, Sturge-Weber syndrome, diffuse hemispheric cortical dysplasia) were considered to be candidates for vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy disconnective based on presurgical evaluation protocol. The oldest patient was 15 years old, the two youngest were both 2 years old. RESULTS: None of the patients experienced early and late surgical complications. After a mean follow-up of 36 months (range 12-60 months), two patients were seizure free, one relapsed seizures 18 months later. Postoperative hydrocephalus never occurred. CONCLUSION:Vertical extraventricular parasagittal hemispherotomy may be an efficacious and less invasive technique as it consists in a pure disconnection of the hemisphere with less amount of brain tissue removed and a theoretical reduced risk of postoperative hydrocephalus.
Authors: Sheikh Nigel Basheer; Mary B Connolly; Aaron Lautzenhiser; Elisabeth M S Sherman; Glenda Hendson; Paul Steinbok Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2007-01 Impact factor: 5.864
Authors: Ingmar Blümcke; Maria Thom; Eleonora Aronica; Dawna D Armstrong; Harry V Vinters; Andre Palmini; Thomas S Jacques; Giuliano Avanzini; A James Barkovich; Giorgio Battaglia; Albert Becker; Carlos Cepeda; Fernando Cendes; Nadia Colombo; Peter Crino; J Helen Cross; Olivier Delalande; François Dubeau; John Duncan; Renzo Guerrini; Philippe Kahane; Gary Mathern; Imad Najm; Ciğdem Ozkara; Charles Raybaud; Alfonso Represa; Steven N Roper; Noriko Salamon; Andreas Schulze-Bonhage; Laura Tassi; Annamaria Vezzani; Roberto Spreafico Journal: Epilepsia Date: 2010-11-10 Impact factor: 5.864