A Novel Protocol to Reduce Early Seizures After Cranioplasty: A Single Center Experience.

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A Novel Protocol to Reduce Early Seizures After Cranioplasty: A Single Center Experience.

World Neurosurg. 2019 Jan 24;:

Authors: Chen CC, Yeap MC, Liu ZH, Hsieh PC, Chen CT, Liu YT, Lee CY, Lai HY, Wu CT, Tu PH

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cranioplasty is a relatively simple and straightforward intervention; however, it is associated with a high incidence of postoperative seizures. Postcranioplasty seizures, especially early seizures, are common and associated with poor outcomes and longer hospital stays. Protocols for preventing and managing early seizures have not been well established.
METHODS: The medical records of 595 patients who underwent cranioplasty were retrospectively reviewed. Of these patients, 259 had pre-existing seizures and 336 had no seizures before cranioplasty. Prophylactic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) were administered to patients who had no seizures before cranioplasty for 1 week, whereas an advanced AED regimen was administered to patients with pre-existing seizures. Subsequently, clinical characteristics, occurrence of recurrent seizures, early seizures, and postoperative complications were analyzed.
RESULTS: Our previous study revealed positive results for prophylaxis in new-onset early seizures. In the patients with pre-existing seizures, 46.7% of the patients (121/259) experienced recurrent seizures after cranioplasty and 17.4% of the patients (45/259) experienced early recurrent seizures within 1 week of their operation. In the group who received the advanced AEDs, early recurrent seizures were significantly reduced to 8.7% compared with the regular group (20.5%; p = 0.027). Younger age and preoperative hydrocephalus engendered a higher risk of recurrent seizures. The number of previous craniotomies was observed to have a trend of increasing early recurrent seizures.
CONCLUSION: Cranioplasty is associated with a high incidence of postoperative seizures. Our management protocol for postcranioplasty seizures includes seizure prophylaxis and advanced use of AEDs, which can reduce the occurrence of early seizures.

PMID: 30685374 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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