[Evaluation of a pathway of epilepsy surgery in a polyvalent video-EEG center: retrospective analysis of a series of 295 patients].

Background And Purpose: The supply for diagnosis and treatment is inadequate in France for epileptic patients eligible for surgery. Our institution includes a Video-electroencephalography (v-EEG) unit and a general neurosurgery department. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and morbidity of the surgery performed in a center non-dedicated to epilepsy surgery.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of a cohort of 295 patients explored with long lasting v-EEG from 1991 to 2008 in Tours in which we evaluated the efficacy and morbidity of the surgery distinguishing between hippocampal sclerosis and other epileptogenic lesions.

Results: Phase I directly led to surgery in 31 cases. Of them were 19 hippocampal sclerosis were operated with no surgical morbidity, and 12 other epileptogenic lesions operated with a comorbidity in two patients. Results of surgery were similar to larger studies, with 80% of patients Engel's Class I. Best results were observed in the hippocampal sclerosis group: 94.7 Class I (IA: 84%), versus 58% Class I (IA: 33%) for other etiologies.

Conclusion: Despite the small number of operated patients, the surgical treatment keeps its efficiency without adding morbidity. v-EEG centers combined with non-specialists neurosurgical teams can contribute to improve care without reducing their quality.