Brain and Spine (Jan 2024)

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

  • Olaf E.M.G. Schijns,
  • Daniel Delev,
  • Marec von Lehe,
  • Dirk van Roost,
  • Karl Rössler,
  • Tom Theys,
  • Christian Auer,
  • Thomas Blauwblomme,
  • Marcelo Budke,
  • Alexandre Rainha Campos,
  • Santiago Candela Canto,
  • Hans Clusmann,
  • Christian Dorfer,
  • Georg Dorfmüller,
  • Arild Egge,
  • Lorand Eröss,
  • Sarah Ferrand-Sorbets,
  • Flavio Giordano,
  • Jürgen Honegger,
  • Cihan Isler,
  • Jugoslav Ivanovic,
  • Thilo Kalbhenn,
  • Atte Karppinen,
  • Niklaus Krayenbühl,
  • Rick H.G.J. van Lanen,
  • Carlo E. Marras,
  • Ioannis Mavridis,
  • Daniel Nilsson,
  • Julia Onken,
  • Christian Raftopoulos,
  • Jonathan Roth,
  • Jordi Rumia,
  • Thomas Sauvigny,
  • Didier Scavarda,
  • Karl Schaller,
  • Christian Scheiwe,
  • Sophie Schuind,
  • Alexandra Seromenho-Santos,
  • Kostas Fountas

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4
p. 102754

Abstract

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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.

Keywords