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Functional hemispheric disconnection procedures for chronic epilepsy: history, indications, techniques, complications and current practice in Europe. A consensus statement on behalf of the EANS functional neurosurgery section

Brain and Spine, vol. 4, pp. 102754

Abstract

Introduction: The surgical procedure for severe, drug-resistant, unilateral hemispheric epilepsy is challenging. Over the last decades the surgical landscape for hemispheric disconnection procedures changed from anatomical hemispherectomy to functional hemispherotomy with a reduction of complications and stable good seizure outcome. Here, a task force of European epilepsy surgeons prepared, on behalf of the EANS Section for Functional Neurosurgery, a consensus statement on different aspects of the hemispheric disconnection procedure. Research question: To determine history, indication, timing, techniques, complications and current practice in Europe for hemispheric disconnection procedures in drug-resistant epilepsy. Material and methods: Relevant literature on the topic was collected by a literature search based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Results: A comprehensive overview on the historical development of hemispheric disconnection procedures for epilepsy is presented, while discussing indications, timing, surgical techniques and complications. Current practice for this procedure in European epilepsy surgery centers is provided. At present, our knowledge of long-term seizure outcomes primarily stems from open surgical disconnection procedures. Although minimal invasive surgical techniques in epilepsy are rapidly developing and reported in case reports or small case series, long-term seizure outcome remain uncertain and needs to be reported. Discussion and conclusion: This is the first paper presenting a European consensus statement regarding history, indications, techniques and complications of hemispheric disconnection procedures for different causes of chronic, drug-resistant epilepsy. Furthermore, it serves as the pioneering document to report a comprehensive overview of the current surgical practices regarding this type of surgery employed in renowned epilepsy surgery centers across Europe.

Authors 38

  1. Olaf E. M. G. Schijns corresponding

    Maastricht University Medical Centre · Maastricht University · Kempenhaeghe

    Affiliation as printed

    Academic Center for Epileptology, Maastricht University Medical Center and Kempenhaeghe, Maastricht-Heeze, the Netherlands

    Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands

    School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University Maastricht (UM), Maastricht, the Netherlands

    School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNS), University Maastricht (UM), Maastricht, the Netherlands

  2. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany

  3. Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Ruppiner Kliniken, Neuruppin, Germany

  4. Ghent University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Ghent, Ghent, Belgium

  5. Medical University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  6. Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

  7. Johannes Kepler University of Linz · Kepler Universitätsklinikum

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Kepler University Hospital, Linz, Austria

  8. Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades · Université Paris Cité

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Necker, Université de Paris, Paris, France

  9. Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Infantil Universitario Niño Jesús, Madrid, Spain

  10. Hospital de Santa Maria

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Santa Maria, Lisbon, Portugal

  11. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain

  12. Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, RWTH Aachen University Hospital, Aachen, Germany

  13. Medical University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  14. Fondation de Rothschild

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hopital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France

  15. Oslo University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

  16. National Institute of Menthal Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery - Nyírő Gyula Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, National Institute of Mental Health, Neurology and Neurosurgery, Budapest, Hungary

  17. Fondation de Rothschild

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hopital Fondation Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France

  18. Meyer Children's Hospital · University of Florence

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Meyer Children's Hospital IRCCS, University of Florence, Italy

  19. Universitätsklinikum Tübingen

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, Tübingen, Germany

  20. Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa · Istanbul University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Istanbul, Turkey

  21. Oslo University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway

  22. Bielefeld University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Bielefeld University, Medical School, Bielefeld, Germany

  23. University of Helsinki · Helsinki University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University of Helsinki, Helsinki University hospital, Helsinki, Finland

  24. University Children's Hospital Zurich

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Universitäts-Kinderspital Zürich-Eleonorenstiftung, Zürich, Switzerland

  25. Maastricht University Medical Centre · Maastricht University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands

    School for Mental Health and Neuroscience (MHeNs), University Maastricht (UM), Maastricht, the Netherlands

  26. Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesu, Roma, Italy

  27. University Hospital of Alexandroupolis

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece

  28. Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Charite University hospital, Berlin, Germany

  29. Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc · Medical University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Clinique Universitaires Saint Luc, Brussels, Belgium

    Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  30. Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Tel Aviv Sourasky medical center, Tel Aviv, Israel

  31. Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Sant Joan de Deu, Barcelona, Spain

  32. Hôpital Necker-Enfants Malades · Université Paris Cité · University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany

    Department of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Hôpital Necker, Université de Paris, Paris, France

  33. Hôpital de la Timone

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hopital La Timone Enfants, Marseille, France

  34. University of Geneva · University Hospital of Geneva · Medical University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Geneva University Medical Center, Geneva, Switzerland

    Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  35. University Medical Center Freiburg · Medical University of Vienna

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University hospital, Freiburg, Germany

    Department of Neurosurgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

  36. Erasmus Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Hopital Erasme, Brussels, Belgium

  37. Hospital de Egas Moniz · Hospital de Santa Cruz · Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Ocidental, Lisbon, Portugal

  38. University of Thessaly

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Neurosurgery, University of Thessaly Medical School, Larissa, Greece

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References 96