The proportion of seizure onset zone contacts resected is not associated with outcome following SEEG-guided resective epilepsy surgery in children

Abstract

Purpose Children undergoing stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG)-guided epilepsy surgery represent a complex cohort. We aimed to determine whether the proportion of putative seizure onset zone (SOZ) contacts resected associates with seizure outcome in a cohort of children undergoing SEEG-guided resective epilepsy surgery. Methods Patients who underwent SEEG-guided resective surgery over a six-year period were included. The proportion of SOZ contacts resected was determined by co-registration of pre- and post-operative imaging. Seizure outcomes were classified as seizure free (SF, Engel class I) or not seizure-free (NSF, Engel class II-IV) at last clinical follow-up. Results Of 94 patients undergoing SEEG, 29 underwent subsequent focal resection of whom 22 had sufficient imaging data to be included in the primary analysis (median age at surgery of 10 years, range 5-18). Fifteen (68.2%) were SF and 7 (31.8%) NSF at median follow-up of 19.5 months (range 12-46). On univariate analysis, histopathology, was the only significant factor associated with SF (p<0.05). The percentage of defined SOZ contacts resected ranged from 25-100% and was not associated with SF (p=0.89). In a binary logistic regression model, it was highly likely that histology was the only independent predictor of outcome, although the interpretation was limited by pseudo-complete separation of the data. Conclusion Histopathology is a significant predictor of surgical outcomes in children undergoing SEEG-guided resective epilepsy surgery. The percentage of SOZ contacts resected was not associated with SF. Factors such as spatial organisation of the epileptogenic zone, neurophysiological biomarkers and the prospective identification of pathological tissue may therefore play an important role.