Incidence Of Postoperative Seizures Research Articles

Comparison of Postoperative Seizures Between Burr-Hole Evacuation and Craniotomy in Patients With Nonacute Subdural Hematomas: A Bi-Institutional Propensity Score-Matched Analysis.

Postoperative seizures are a common complication after surgical drainage of nonacute chronic subdural hematomas (SDHs). The literature increasingly supports the use of prophylactic antiepileptic drugs for craniotomy, a procedure that is often associated with larger collections and worse clinical status at admission. This study aimed to compare the incidence of postoperative seizures in patients treated with burr-hole drainage and those treated with craniotomy through propensity score matching (PSM). A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on patients with surgical drainage of nonacute SDHs (burr-holes and craniotomies) between January 2017 to December 2021 at 2 academic institutions in the United States. PSM was performed by controlling for age, subdural thickness, subacute component, and preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale. Seizure rates and accompanying abnormalities on electroencephalographic tracing were evaluated postmatching. A total of 467 patients with 510 nonacute SDHs underwent 474 procedures, with 242 burr-hole evacuations (51.0%) and 232 craniotomies (49.0%). PSM resulted in 62 matched pairs. After matching, univariate analysis revealed that burr-hole evacuations exhibited lower rates of seizures (1.6% vs 11.3%; P = .03) and abnormal electroencephalographic findings (0.0% vs 4.8%; P = .03) compared with craniotomies. No significant differences were observed in postoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (P = .77) and length of hospital stay (P = .61). Burr-hole evacuation demonstrated significantly lower seizure rates than craniotomy using a propensity score-matched analysis controlling for significant variables.

Association of Preoperative Serum Potassium With Postoperative Seizures in Patients Undergoing Elective Craniotomy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients who undergo craniotomy are at risk of developing seizures during the postoperative period. Preoperative serum potassium as an important potential risk factor has not been investigated yet. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study involving adults undergoing elective craniotomy at West China Hospital, from January 2011 and March 2021. The main outcome of this study was postoperative seizures in patients undergoing elective craniotomy during hospitalization. We performed univariable and multivariable logistic regression to investigate the association of preoperative serum potassium with postoperative seizures. RESULTS: A total of 15 041 patients were collected after filtering by excluded criteria. The incidence of postoperative seizures was 4.87%. We identified a linear relationship between preoperative serum potassium and postoperative seizures (P for nonlinearity =.87). Compared with patients with serum potassium 3.5 to 4.5 mmol/L, the odds of postoperative seizures increased in patients with serum potassium ≥4.5 mmol/L (the adjusted odds ratios 1.46, 95% CI 1.10-1.93), and the odds of postoperative seizures decreased in patients with serum potassium ≤3.5 mmol/L (the adjusted odds ratios 0.73, 95% CI 0.53-1.01). CONCLUSION: We found that high preoperative serum potassium level was associated with the high risk of postoperative seizures in patients undergoing craniotomy. We demonstrated that preoperative serum potassium level was the independent risk factor of postoperative seizures.

Discussion to: Incidence of postoperative seizures in neonates following cardiac surgery with regional cerebral perfusion and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

Discussion to: Incidence of postoperative seizures in neonates following cardiac surgery with regional cerebral perfusion and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

Incidence of postoperative seizures in neonates following cardiac surgery with regional cerebral perfusion and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest

ObjectivesHistorically, our center has primarily used deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, but in recent years some surgeons have selectively used regional cerebral perfusion as an alternative. We aimed to compare the incidence of postoperative electroencephalographic seizure incidence in neonates undergoing surgery with regional cerebral perfusion and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed in neonates who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2022 with either deep hypothermic circulatory arrest or regional cerebral perfusion with routine postoperative continuous electroencephalography monitoring for 48 hours. Propensity matching was performed to compare postoperative seizure risk between the 2 groups. ResultsAmong 1136 neonates undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, regional cerebral perfusion was performed in 99 (8.7%) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest in 604 (53%). The median duration of regional cerebral perfusion was 49 minutes (interquartile range, 38-68) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was 41 minutes (interquartile range, 31-49). The regional cerebral perfusion group had significantly longer total support, cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic crossclamp times. Overall seizure incidence was 11% (N = 76) and 13% (N = 35) in the most recent era (2019-2022). The unadjusted seizure incidence was similar in neonates undergoing regional cerebral perfusion (N = 12, 12%) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (N = 64, 11%). After propensity matching, the seizure incidence was similar in neonates undergoing regional cerebral perfusion (N = 12, 12%) and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (N = 37, 12%) (odds ratio, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.55-1.71; P = .92). ConclusionsIn this contemporary single-center experience, the incorporation of regional cerebral perfusion did not result in a change in seizure incidence in comparison with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. However, unmeasured confounders may have impacted these findings. Further studies are needed to determine the impact, if any, of regional cerebral perfusion on postoperative seizure incidence.

P11.61.B TUMOR ASSOCIATED EPILEPSY AND RESTRICTION OF DRIVING PRIVILEGES IN THE FIRST YEAR AFTER BRAIN TUMOR SURGERY

Abstract BACKGROUND In most countries, the risk of postoperative seizures prompts regulations restricting driving privileges at least temporarily following brain tumor operations. The present study investigated the frequency of epileptic seizures and driving habits in the first year after brain tumor operations in a prospective and a retrospective patient cohort. MATERIAL AND METHODS The authors studied overall 523 patients undergoing surgery for a brain tumor at the authors’ institution (prospective cohort, 09/2021-09/2022: N=313 and retrospective cohort, 01/2020-12/2020: N=210). Clinical data were obtained by reviewing patient charts and through (telephone) interviews. RESULTS The cohort included 160 (30.6%) meningiomas, 135 (25.6%) glioblastomas, 111 (21.2%) metastases and 56 (10.7%) other gliomas. 135/523 (25.8%) presented with seizure(s). At 3 months (excluding early post operative seizures) overall 57 (10.9%; prospective vs. retrospective cohort: 13.2 vs. 8.1%) patients reported seizure(s). The seizure incidence at 1 year was 18.4% (prospective vs. retrospective cohort: 18.7 vs. 18.2%). 22/173 (12.7%) patients reported de-novo seizures at 1 year. Significant predictors of seizures at 1 year included preoperative seizures (p<0.001), an adverse preoperative and postoperative KPI (p=0.038 and p=0.001) as well as postoperative NANO (p<0.001) score and histology (e.g. meningiomas: 7.5%, metastases: 22.0%, glioblastomas: 38.5%, other gliomas: 18.8%; p<0.001). 219/318 (69.9%) assessable patients were not driving in 3 months. Reasons included no driver’s license (6.3%), death (7.9%), neurological deficits (38.4%), epilepsy (9.0%), and personal choice (12.9%). 91.3% of glioblastoma patients did not drive in 3 months (cf. metastases: 77.8%, other gliomas. 72.4%, meningiomas: 43.8%; p<0.001). CONCLUSION We documented a high incidence of postoperative seizures and potential risk factors in patients following brain tumor surgery. Our figures support postoperative restriction of driving privileges even in seizure-naive patients (12.7% de-novo seizures at 1 year). Of note, epilepsy was the reason for not driving after surgery for a brain tumor only in 9.0%.

Tumor-related epilepsy and post-surgical outcomes: tertiary hospital experience in Vietnam

Seizures have a significant impact on the quality of life of those who suffer. This study aimed to evaluate the variables that influence the incidence of seizures during the perioperative period and effective measures to enhance epilepsy outcomes among individuals undergoing surgical resection of brain tumors. The authors carried out a prospective observational analysis of all patients who experienced seizures before their brain tumor surgery at UMC, HCMC between 2020 and 2022. 54 cases presented with seizures were enrolled for the study, generalized seizure was the most prevalent seizure type (61.1%), followed by focal seizure (29.6%). The majority of patients presented with seizures are those who were diagnosed with glioma. Low-grade gliomas and frontotemporal lobe tumors increase the postoperative risk of seizure. Other predictive factors are a prolonged history of seizure, especially resistant epilepsy and major peritumoral edema. In contrast, gross total resection reduces postoperative seizure incidence. There was correlation between Ki67 proliferation index and seizure incidence in both low-grade and high-grade gliomas. ECoG made insubstantial difference in enhancing the epilepsy surgery outcome. Overall, 88.9% of patients were seizure-free at 6 months of follow-up (Engel Class I), 7.4% were almost seizure-free (Class II), and 3.7% had significant improvement (Class III), figures for 12-month follow-up were 87.0%, 9.3%, and 3.7% respectively. A shorter history of seizure and gross-total resection appear to be associated with a favorable prognosis for seizure control.

Tranexamic acid-induced focal convulsions after spinal surgery: a rare case report and literature review on side effects of accidental spinal administration of tranexamic acid.

Convulsions are a neurological illness that has complexity. In clinical treatment, drug-induced convulsions appear from time to time. Drug-induced convulsions often begin as isolated acute seizures but may progress to persistent seizures. In orthopedics, topical administration of tranexamic acid is commonly used in conjunction with intravenous drip to achieve hemostasis during artificial joint replacement surgery. However, side effects induced by tranexamic acid accidental spinal administration should be taken seriously. We report a case of a middle-aged male treated with tranexamic acid locally in combination with intravenous drip for intraoperative hemostasis when undergoing spinal surgery. The patient had involuntary convulsions in both lower limbs after the operation. After symptomatic administration, the symptoms of convulsions gradually resolved. During the follow-up, the convulsions never occurred again. We reviewed the literature on cases with side effects of local tranexamic acid application in spinal surgery and discussed the mechanism of tranexamic acid-induced convulsions. Tranexamic acid is associated with an increased incidence of postoperative seizures. However, many clinicians are unaware that tranexamic acid causes seizures. This rare case summarized the risk factors and clinical features of these seizures. Moreover, it highlights several clinical and preclinical studies that offer mechanistic insights into the potential causes and treatments for tranexamic acid-associated seizures. A clear understanding of tranexamic acid-induced convulsions-related adverse reactions can help the first-line clinical screening of causes and adjustment of drug treatment. This review will aid the medical community by increasing awareness about tranexamic acid-associated seizures and translating scientific findings into therapeutic interventions for patients.

Anterior temporal lobectomy improved mood status and quality of life in Chinese patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: a single-arm cohort study.

Many studies have emphasized that selective resection of epileptic lesions in temoral lobe is associated with better preservation of cognition function; whether this applies to patients with refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) remains unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in cognitive functions, mood status, and quality of life after anterior temporal lobectomy in patients with refractory MTLE. This single-arm cohort study assessed cognitive function, mood status, and quality of life, as well as electroencephalography findings, in patients with refractory MTLE who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy at Xuanwu Hospital from January 2018 to March 2019. Pre- and post-operative characteristics were compared to evaluate the effects of surgery. Anterior temporal lobectomy significantly reduced the frequencies of epileptiform discharges. The overall success rate of surgery was acceptable. Anterior temporal lobectomy did not result in significant changes in overall cognitive functions (P > 0.05), although changes in certain domains, including visuospatial ability, executive ability, and abstract thinking, were detected. Anterior temporal lobectomy resulted in improvements in anxiety and depression symptoms and quality of life. Anterior temporal lobectomy reduced epileptiform discharges and incidence of post-operative seizures as well as resulted in improved mood status and quality of life without causing significant changes in cognitive function.

Expression of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) in glioma and possible clinical correlations. A retrospective institutional study

BackgroundGlioblastoma is considered the most aggressive primary brain tumor. Recurrence after treatment is a significant problem with a failed response to optimal treatment. The recurrence of GBM is linked to different cellular and molecular pathways. Nationwide, in Egypt, astrocytic tumors are the most commonly diagnosed CNS tumor. Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK CD246) is an enzymatic protein (RTK) belonging to the insulin receptors superfamily. MethodsThis is a retrospective study including sixty cases of astrocytic tumors (males = 40, mean age = 31.5), (females = 20, mean age = 37.77) obtained through collecting archived paraffin blocks of astrocytic tumor from the Pathology Department, Cairo University Faculty of Medicine during the period from January 2015 till January 2019. All cases were evaluated for ALK expression trying to find any clinical correlations with the clinical data. ResultsCorrelations were made using a scatterplot matrix correlogram. There was a significant correlation between tumor recurrence and ALK expression (r = 0.8, P < 0.01), and incidence of postoperative seizures (r = 0.8, P < 0.05), and between mean age and score tumor (r = 0.8, P < 0.05). ConclusionExpression of ALK was found to be abundant among high-grade gliomas and tumor recurrence rate was higher in ALK-positive patients. Further studies are needed to evaluate the potential use of ALK as a prognostic marker in cases of GBM.

The Potential of Seizure to Predict Prognosis in Glioblastoma Patients: A retrospective Study

Objective Glioma, particularly glioblastoma (GBM), represents a prevalent and aggressive primary brain tumor with limited curative options. Epileptic seizures often manifest as a common clinical symptom in these patients, but their prognostic significance remains debated. This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the clinical presentations, tumor characteristics, and the impact of seizures on the prognosis of GBM patients. Materials and Methods A total of 113 adult patients with histologically confirmed GBM treated between April 2018 and January 2022 were included in this retrospective analysis. Data encompassed clinical symptoms, preoperative and postoperative seizures, tumor localization, overall survival (OS), and other relevant factors. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the relationships between seizures and various prognostic parameters. Results Seizures were present in 39.8% of GBM patients, with 20 patients experiencing both preoperative and postoperative seizures. Preoperative and postoperative seizures were not significantly associated with differences in prognosis (p&gt;0.05). Tumor localization, OS, Karnofsky performance score, and length of hospital stay showed significant differences between patients with and without seizures (p&lt;0.05). Complete resection was achieved in 90.3% of patients, leading to a relatively lower incidence of postoperative seizures. Conclusion Seizures in GBM patients are associated with OS, Karnofsky performance score, and hospitalization duration, independently of other factors. The presence of seizures serves as a valuable prognostic indicator for GBM, prompting further investigation into its influence on patient outcomes, quality of life, and socioeconomic aspects of survival. These findings emphasize the importance of early seizure management in GBM patients and the need for tailored treatment strategies.

Prophylactic administration of tranexamic acid combined with thromboelastography-guided hemostatic algorithm reduces allogeneic transfusion requirements during pediatric resective epilepsy surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Intraoperative bleeding and allogeneic transfusion remain common problems in pediatric resective epilepsy surgery. Tranexamic acid (TXA) is a widely recommended antifibrinolytic drug that reduces blood loss and transfusion requirements for bleeding patients. Thromboelastography (TEG)-guided hemostatic algorithm is commonly used in bleeding management. This trial was designed to validate the efficacy of a multimodal coagulation therapy involving continuous TXA infusion with TEG-guided hemostatic algorithm in reducing allogeneic exposure risk in pediatric resective epilepsy surgery. Methods: Eighty-three children undergoing resective epilepsy surgery were randomized into a treatment group (Group T; n = 42) and a control group (Group C; n = 41). Group T received prophylactic TXA (10 mg/kg followed by 5 mg/kg/h) with TEG-guided hemostatic algorithm, whereas Group C received conventional coagulation management. The primary outcome was allogeneic transfusion rate during surgery, and the secondary outcomes were intraoperative blood loss, incidence of postoperative seizures, and thromboembolic events during hospitalization. Results: The incidence of intraoperative allogeneic transfusion reduced by 34.7% with the use of a multimodal coagulation therapy (19.0% in Group T vs. 53.7% in Group C; RR 0.355, 95% CI 0.179–0.704; p = 0.001). This was mainly triggered by a significant reduction (44.1%) in intraoperative plasma transfusion (7.1% in Group T vs. 51.2% in Group C; RR 0.139, 95% CI 0.045–0.432; p = 0.000). The risk of intraoperative RBC transfusion was lower in Group T than in Group C, but the difference was not statistically significant (14.3% in Group T vs. 29.3% in Group C; RR 0.488, 95% CI 0.202–1.177; p = 0.098). No platelets were transfused in both groups. Further, 19 (45.2%) patients in Group T received fibrinogen concentrates guided by TEG data, whereas 1 (2.4%) patient in Group C received fibrinogen concentrates empirically. There were no significant differences in estimated blood loss and postoperative seizures between the two groups, and no thromboembolic events were observed after surgery. Conclusion: Prophylactic administration of TXA combined with TEG-guided hemostatic algorithm can be an effective multimodal coagulation strategy for reducing allogeneic transfusion requirements during pediatric resective epilepsy surgery. Clinical Trial Registration: www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier ChiCTR1800016188.

In dogs undergoing extrahepatic portosystemic shunt attenuation, does pretreatment with levetiracetam reduce postoperative seizure incidence?

PICO question&#x0D; PICO&#x0D; &#x0D; Clinical bottom line&#x0D; Category of research question&#x0D; Treatment&#x0D; The number and type of study designs reviewed&#x0D; Four papers were critically reviewed. All were retrospective cohort studies&#x0D; Strength of evidence&#x0D; Moderate&#x0D; Outcomes reported&#x0D; In one paper levetiracetam was found to reduce the risk of post-attenuation seizures. In the remaining three papers no difference was found between the frequency of post-attenuation seizures and the use of levetiracetam&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; That prophylactic levetiracetam is not indicated for the use of preventing post-attenuation seizures in dogs surgically treated for extrahepatic portosystemic shunts&#x0D; &#x0D; How to apply this evidence in practice&#x0D; The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources.&#x0D; Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.&#x0D; &#x0D;

Postoperative seizures following endoscopic third ventriculostomy and choroid plexus cauterization: a case series.

In this study, the authors sought to investigate variables associated with postoperative seizures following endoscopic third ventriculostomy and choroid plexus cauterization (ETV/CPC) for treatment of pediatric hydrocephalus. A retrospective analysis of 37 patients who underwent ETV/CPC for treatment of hydrocephalus at an academic medical center from September 2016 to March 2021 was conducted. Demographics, etiology of hydrocephalus, operative details, electroencephalography (EEG) data, MRI findings, need for subsequent procedures, perioperative laboratory tests, medical history, and presence of clinical postoperative seizures were collected. Postoperative seizures were defined as clinical seizures within 24 hours of surgery. Eighteen patients received levetiracetam intraoperatively as well as over the next 7 days postoperatively for seizure prophylaxis. Of 37 included patients, 9 (24%) developed clinical seizures within 24 hours after surgery, 5 of whom subsequently had electroclinical seizures captured on video-EEG. The clinical seizures in 4 of those 5 patients (80%) may have been associated with the hemisphere of the brain through which the endoscope was introduced. The median corrected age of the cohort was 3.4 months. The median corrected age of patients who did not develop postoperative seizures was 2.3 months compared with 0.7 months for patients who did develop postoperative seizures (p > 0.99). Postoperative seizures occurred in 43% (3/7) of prenatally repaired myelomeningocele patients versus 29% (2/7) of postnatally repaired myelomeningocele patients. Of the 18 patients who received prophylactic levetiracetam, none (0%) developed postoperative seizures compared with 9 of the 19 patients (47%) who did not receive prophylactic levetiracetam (p = 0.014). Postoperative seizures were recorded in 24% of the pediatric patients who underwent ETV/CPC for hydrocephalus, which is higher than previously reported rates in the literature of 5%. Since 80% of the postoperative electrographic seizures may have been associated with the hemisphere through which the endoscope was introduced, the surgical entry site may contribute to postoperative seizure development. In patients who received prophylactic perioperative levetiracetam, the postoperative seizure incidence dropped to 0% compared with 47% in those who did not receive prophylactic perioperative levetiracetam. This finding indicates that the use of prophylactic perioperative levetiracetam may be efficacious in the prevention of clinical seizures in this patient population.

QOLP-08. THE LANDSCAPE OF EPILEPSY ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFUSELY INFILTRATIVE GLIOMAS

Abstract Seizures are among the most prevalent co-morbidities associated with glioma, and pose a serious threat to patients. Our prior work showed that IDH mutation (IDHmut) was associated with much greater seizure frequency at the time of initial glioma diagnosis. However, less is known about the variables that contribute to seizure risk throughout the course of disease. We therefore collected data from 247 patients with grade 2–4 glioma, and determined seizure risk using Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities and multivariable cox regression analyses. Median follow-up of IDH wildtype (IDHwt) and IDHmut glioma patients was 15 months and 36 months, respectively. Incidence of pre-operative seizures for IDHwt and IDHmut patients was 75/168 (45%) and 60/79 (76%), and incidence of post-operative seizures was 70/168 (42%) and 43/79 (54%), respectively. Patients who had a pre-operative seizure had a shorter time to their first post-operative seizure than patients who never had a pre-operative seizure in both IDHwt (P&amp;lt; 0.0001) and IDHmut (P= 0.039) cohorts. Among IDHmut glioma patients, those with subtotal resections developed post-operative seizures faster (median time to first seizure= 9.9 months) than those with gross-total resections (median not reached) (P= 0.0005), but a similar pattern was not observed in IDHwt glioma patients (P= 0.20). Those with IDHmut astrocytomas more quickly developed post-operative seizures (median= 11.1 months), compared to those with IDHwt astrocytomas (24.9 months) or IDHmut oligodendrogliomas (median not reached) (P= 0.033). Tumor progression closely followed post-operative seizures in patients with IDHwt gliomas when either their first post-operative seizure occurred longer than 6 months following resection, or when their post-operative seizures worsened in quality. These data suggest the best predictors of post-operative seizures are as follows: the presence of pre-operative seizures; extent of surgical resection; IDHmut status. These data will help clinicians better manage glioma patients by identifying those at greatest risk of seizures.

Tranexamic acid after cardiopulmonary bypass does not increase risk of postoperative seizures: a retrospective study.

To evaluate the effects of administering tranexamic acid (TXA) after cardiopulmonary bypass, instead of after anesthesia induction, on postoperative seizures and blood transfusion requirements. Adult patients who underwent valve surgery and/or coronary artery bypass grafting at West China Hospital between July 1, 2011 and December 31, 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients either received TXA after bypass (n = 2062) or not (n = 4236). Logistic regression and propensity score matching analysis were performed to assess effects of TXA on postoperative seizures and blood product requirements in hospital. Among 6298 patients, seizures occurred in 2.4% (102/4236) in the no-TXA group and 2.7% (56/2062) in the TXA group (P = 0.46). The number of patients receiving any blood products was greater in the no-TXA group (57.3%, 2428/4236) than in the TXA group (53.1%, 1095/2062) (P < 0.01), and the volume of blood products was also greater in the no-TXA group (1.5 vs. 1.0 units, P < 0.01). TXA was not associated with increased incidence of postoperative seizures (adjusted OR 1.16, 95% CI 0.83-1.62) but was associated with lower incidence of a requirement for blood products (adjusted OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.73-0.92). Similar results were obtained after patients from the two groups were matched based on propensity scoring. TXA was associated with reduced requirements for fresh frozen plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate, but not red blood cells. Administering TXA after bypass may reduce requirements for blood products without increasing risk of seizures following cardiac surgery.

An evidence-based approach to monitoring serum sodium in patients following non-pituitary cerebral neoplasm resection

ObjectIt is common for many neurosurgical services to routinely order daily laboratory studies on all inpatients. Here we investigate whether daily post-operative sodium (Na) is predictive of seizures experienced by patients admitted for non-pituitary tumor resection. MethodsThree databases were constructed over a one-year period; a retrospective database inclusive of 916 inpatients admitted to the UCLA neurosurgery service, a prospective database of 644 inpatients admitted to the UCLA neurosurgery service, and a readmission database of 139 patients that were either readmitted or evaluated in the Emergency Department within 30 days of discharge. Sodium levels during admission were recorded in the retrospective database and the probability of a ≥5 mEq/L drop in Na over the first five days was calculated. The incidence of post-operative seizures was recorded in the prospective and readmission cohorts. For each seizure event, the diagnosis category and Na level were recorded. Finally, a subset of patients with borderline (130–134 mEq/L) Na levels at discharge were scheduled for outpatient Na checks to explore the safety of this practice. ResultsIn the retrospective and prospective databases, the primary diagnosis of tumor was present in 227 (25%) and 149 (23%) patients respectively. Patients with a primary diagnosis of tumor showed an overall positive skewness of 0.187, with a probability of ≥5 mEq/L drop in Na level of 6.5%. Ten patients experienced early, and three patients experienced late postoperative seizures. Na level was within the normal range in all patients with a primary diagnosis of tumor at the time of seizure. Of the patients discharged with borderline serum Na, serum Na normalized during outpatient follow-up in all who presented to the appointment. ConclusionsThere is a mild trend towards hyponatremia following non-pituitary tumor surgery. However, this mild trend towards hyponatremia following brain tumor surgery is not associated with an increased incidence of seizure in either the early or late setting. Further, this hyponatremia is self-resolved and does not require aggressive treatment or prolonged hospital stays.

Focal Cortical Surface Cooling is a Novel and Safe Method for Intraoperative Functional Brain Mapping

Electric cortical stimulation (ECS) has been the gold standard for intraoperative functional mapping in neurosurgery, yet it carries the risk of induced seizures. We assess the safety of focal cortical cooling (CC) as a potential alternative to ECS. We reviewed 40 patients (13 with tumor and 27 with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy) who underwent intraoperative CC at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics (CC group), of whom 38 underwent ECS preceding CC. Intraoperative and postoperative seizure incidence, postoperative neurologic deficits, and new postoperative radiographic findings were collected to assess CC safety. Fifty-five patients who underwent ECS mapping without CC (ECS-alone group) were reviewed as a control cohort. Another 25 patients who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) without CC or ECS (no ECS/no CC-ATL group) were also reviewed to evaluate long-term effects of CC. Seventy-nine brain sites in the CC group were cooled, comprising inferior frontal gyrus (44%), precentral gyrus (39%), postcentral gyrus (6%), subcentral gyrus (4%), and superior temporal gyrus (6%). The incidence of intraoperative seizure(s) was 0% (CC group) and 3.6% (ECS-alone group). The incidence of seizure(s) within the first postoperative week did not significantly differ among CC (7.9%), ECS-alone (9.0%), and no ECS/no CC-ATL groups (12%). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative radiographic change between CC (7.5%) and ECS-alone groups (5.5%). Long-term seizure outcome (Engel I+II) for mesial temporal epilepsy did not differ among CC (80%), ECS-alone (83.3%), and no ECS/no CC-ATL groups (83.3%). CC when used as an intraoperative mapping technique is safe and may complement ECS.

NCOG-25. EFFICACY OF ANTICONVULSANT THERAPY IN GLIOMA PATIENTS

Abstract Gliomas account for 30% of primary brain tumors and can frequently present with seizures. There are few guidelines for usage of anticonvulsant therapy in glioma patients. Some clinicians utilize anticonvulsant therapy in all glioma patients as a means of prophylaxis, whereas other clinicians prescribe anticonvulsant therapy only in patients that experience seizures. In this single-institution retrospective cohort study, we evaluate the effect of commonly prescribed anticonvulsant levetiracetam on incidence of post-operative seizures and overall survival in primary glioma patients. 436 patients met the inclusion criteria for this study. 35% of patients presented with a pre-operative seizure and 63% of patients received pre-operative Levetiracetam. The incidence of a seizure within 1 year of tumor resection was 31%. On multivariate logistic regression analysis of patient pre-operative clinical and imaging characteristics, it was found that only a pre-operative seizure (p = 0.02) significantly increased the odds of a post-operative seizure within 1 year of tumor resection. Neither pre-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.31), intra-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.59), or post-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.75) significantly reduced the odds of a post-operative seizure. Using a cox proportional hazards model, pre-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.11), intra-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.34), and post-operative levetiracetam (p = 0.88) do not significantly affect overall survival. Our findings reveal that glioma patients are often prescribed anticonvulsant medication regardless of whether they have had a pre-operative seizure. Most patients also receive anti-convulsant medication in the peri-operative and post-operative setting regardless of whether they have had pre-operative or immediate post-operative seizures. Use of pre-operative or intra-operative levetiracetam as a prophylactic measure does not impact the incidence of post-operative seizures. Furthermore, anti-convulsant therapies do not demonstrate a survival benefit in our study. These results provide a rationale for re-evaluating the use of anti-convulsant medications in glioma patients that do not have seizure symptoms.

Prophylactic anticonvulsant therapy in high-grade glioma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

IntroductionIt is common practice to prescribe prophylactic antiepileptic drugs (AED) to high-grade glioma (HGG) patients without a history of seizures, yet with limited evidence supporting its use. Ideally, the effectiveness of prophylactic anticonvulsants must outweigh the occurrence of adverse effects and interactions related to AED. The authors conducted a systematic review and metanalysis of longitudinal studies regarding the effectiveness of prophylactic AED in seizure-naïve HGG patients. Materials and methodsPubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, Embase and clinicaltrials.gov databases were systematically searched. Of the initial 1773 studies identified, 15 were finally selected for data extraction and analysis. Heterogeneity among studies, pooled hazard ratios, publication bias and sensitivity analyses were performed separately for a 15-study group (HGG patients within larger series of brain tumors) and a 6-study group (exclusively HGG patients). ResultsAED prophylaxis did not significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative seizures compared with controls, both in the 15-study group (Mantel-Haenszel random-effects pooled OR 1.08, 95% CI 0.82–1.43, 2123 patients) and in the 6-study group (pooled OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.77–1.92, 540 patients). However, some issues (paucity of prospective trials, overall moderate-risk of bias, and few studies addressing HGG patients exclusively) preclude firm conclusions against routine prophylactic AED prescription. Reported adverse effects attributable to AED were acceptable in the majority of studies. ConclusionsWithin the limitations of this review, the results of this metanalysis do not support the routine administration of prophylactic AED to HGG patients without a history of seizures.

Scavenging right atrial Bretschneider histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate cardioplegia: Impact on hyponatremia and seizures in pediatric cardiac surgery patients

ObjectiveCustodiol-HTK cardioplegia (Custodiol-HTK Koheler Chemie, GmbH, Bensheim, Germany) causes fluctuations in serum sodium levels, hyponatremia, and is associated with postoperative seizures. We investigated the influence of scavenging right atrial effluent during delivery on intraoperative serum sodium levels and postoperative seizure incidence in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. MethodsA total of 204 patients younger than age 18 years undergoing congenital heart surgery between January 2016 and March 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Serum sodium levels after administration of Custodiol-HTK cardioplegia were compared between the scavenge and nonscavenge groups and then in the propensity score-matched cohort (n = 96). Postoperative seizures were documented clinically and with electroencephalogram findings. Logistic regression models were used to identify the independent predictors of serum sodium level after aortic crossclamp. ResultsOf 204 patients, 156 (76.5%) were in the nonscavenge, and 48 (23.5%) in the scavenge groups. A serum sodium level <130 mEq/L after crossclamp and administration of Custodiol-HTK cardioplegia in the nonscavenge group were 70% versus 21% in the scavenge group (odds ratio, 8.8; 95% confidence interval, 4.1-18.3; P < .0001) in the entire cohort, and 77% versus 21% (odds ratio, 12.8; 95% confidence interval, 4.8-33.1; P < .0001) in the propensity score-matched cohort. Of 16 patients experiencing a postoperative seizure, 14 (87.5%) had a sodium level <130 mEq/L and 2 (12.5%) had a sodium level ≥130 mEq/L (odds ratio, 5.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-22.8; P = .021) after crossclamp. Postoperative seizures occurred in the nonscavenge group but not the scavenge group in the entire cohort (P = .02) and in the propensity score-matched patients (P = .041). Multivariable analysis of the entire cohort showed that scavenge intervention was an independent factor associated with significantly decreased risk of sodium level <130 mEq/L (odds ratio, 0.17; 95% confidence interval, 0.08-0.36; P = .000). ConclusionsRight atrial effluent scavenging was protective against fluctuations in serum sodium levels after crossclamp and Custodiol-HTK cardioplegia administration independently in both entire and matched cohort, and was also associated with decreased incidence of postoperative seizures.