ABSTRACT
Objective. To review the results of hemispherectomy in the treatment of refractive epilepsy. Methodology. Analytic retrospective cohort study including every patient presenting refractive epilepsy to pharmacologic therapy, operated with hemispherectomy techniques from 1988 to 2008 (n=49). Of 507 patients, operated for refractive epilepsy in the last 20 years, in 49 cases we used any kind of hemispherectomy techniques (9,7%). The male/female relationship was 1.13-1, with 53% males and 47% females. The mean age was 8±5 years old, minimum 4 months and maximum 19 years old. The epilepsy time evolution was 3±2 years. The age of initial presentation was 3±1 years old. The more frequent pathologies were: Rasmussen encephalopathy (30,6%) and secuelar lesions (34,7%). Results. The results were evaluated with the Engel score. Using this classification, our patients were distributed in this manner: 40 patients (81,6%) were in class I of Engel; 4 patients (8,2%) in class II of Engel and 5 patients (10,2%) en Engel III and IV. 88% (43 cases) without complications, 4% (2 cases) present hematomas and the same occur with hydrocephalus and postoperative meningitis. One patient died a few days posterior to surgery because of hematologic complications. Conclusion. The hemispherectomy for the management of refractive epilepsy is a safe procedure with high positive results and small morbimortality in selective pathologies.