ABSTRACT

In this study, we report the post-surgical follow-up of 15 patients (10 males, 5 females) with pharmacoresist-ant psychomotor seizures. The mean age at seizure onset was nine years (range 2-28 years), and the mean age at the time or operation was 27 years (range 9-40 years). Presurgical evaluations were made using longterm interictal waking and sleep EEGs with scalp and sphenoidal electrodes, and cranial MRI. All the patients had a unilateral temporal epileptic focus on EEG. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a cystic tumor (n=1), encephalomalacy (n=1), cystic gliosis (n=1), and hippocampal atrophy (n=5). Findings of MRI were normal in seven patients. Nine patients underwent right, and six patients underwent left anterior temporal lobectomy with amygdalo-hippocampectomy. The mean duration of the postsurgical follow-up was 36 months (range 20-48 months). We discontinued the anti-epileptic medications In 12 patients who had no seizures for at least 18 months after the operation; the remaining three patients continued to have seizures.

Keywords: TEMPORAL LOBE EPILEPSY, TEMPORAL LOBECTOMY