Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Patients Older Than 50 Years

Abstract

Surgery for Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Older PatientsBoling W, Andermann F, Reutens D, Dubeau F, Caporicci L, Olivier AJ Neurosurg 2001;95:242–248ObjectiveThe goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in older (older than 50 years) patients.MethodsThe authors conducted a review of all patients aged 50 years or older with TLE surgically treated at the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital since 1981 by one surgeon (A.O.). Only patients without a mass lesion were included. Outcome parameters were compared with those of younger individuals with TLE, who were stratified by age at operation.ResultsIn patients aged 50 years and older, the onset of complex partial seizures occurred 5 to 53 years (mean, 35 years) before the time of surgery. Postoperatively, over a mean follow-up period of 64 months, 15 (83%) patients obtained a meaningful improvement, becoming either free from seizures or experiencing only a rare seizure. Most surgery outcomes were similar i...