The natural history of postoperative seizures.

The risk of developing postoperative seizures decreases with the passage of time after surgery. In the majority of cases it has fallen to less than 10% by six months but in some specific groups this risk is not reached until much later. Patients who had abscesses were however the only group with a continuing risk after five years. Late epilepsy occurred in 41% of patients suffering early epilepsy. The question of prophylactic anticonvulsant drugs is discussed.