Non ruptured MCA aneurysms presenting with insular related symptoms.

OBJECTIVE: To present a new semiological description of unruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms. METHODS: We present a series of three MCA aneurysms presenting with progressive or paroxystic somatosensory symptoms in combination with visceral, motor, language or autonomic symptoms. RESULTS: A surgical approach was proposed for two aneurysms, and both patients experienced complete resolution of their symptoms. The third aneurysm was successfully excluded by endovascular coiling but the symptoms persisted. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge this is the first description of unruptured aneurysms presenting with insular-related symptoms.

Insular cortex epilepsy: an overview.

In this review the authors discuss insular cortex epilepsy, an under-recognized localization-related syndrome that may explain some temporal (but also frontal and parietal lobe) epilepsy surgery failures. The insula may generate a variety of symptoms (including visceral, motor and somatosensory) that mimic temporal, frontal or parietal lobe onset seizures. Intracerebral electrodes directly implanted in the insula are currently the only way to confirm insular seizures. Consideration should be given to exploration of the insular cortex in MRI negative patients with seizure semiology consistent with insular onset seizures. Electroencephalographers should have a low threshold to sample this region, especially in the absence of a structural lesion. Microneurosurgical technical advances allow resective surgery of the insula with relatively low morbidity.

Microsurgery of epileptic foci in the insular region.

OBJECT: The insular region has long been neglected in the investigation and treatment of refractory epilepsy. Surgery in the insular region is rarely performed because of the risk of injury to the opercula, the arteries transiting on the surface of the insula, and the deep structures such as the basal ganglia and the internal capsule. This study was undertaken to report the results of insular surgery using modern microsurgical techniques in patients with epilepsy. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective study of cases involving patients who underwent surgery for insular lesions associated with epilepsy over the last 10 years. In the majority of patients, intracranial electrodes were implanted with neuronavigation guidance to confirm the localization of the epileptic foci. RESULTS: Nine patients underwent insular surgery: 7 for refractory epilepsy with no tumor and 2 for tumors associated with seizures. Four of the resections were performed in the left hemisphere. After an average follow-up of 54 months (range 14-122 months), Engel Class IA outcome had been achieved in 6 of 7 cases in the Epilepsy Surgery Group. The remaining patient had an Engel Class III outcome after partial insular resection but later became seizurefree (Engel Class IA) following insular Gamma Knife surgery. Postoperatively, the majority of patients suffered from minor reversible hemipareses that disappeared completely within a few months. There was no surgical mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Insular surgery is both safe and beneficial when it is well planned and performed with modern microsurgical techniques and good anatomical knowledge. Insulectomy is associated with little permanent morbidity and a high rate of seizure control. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first series of insulectomies predominantly performed for refractory epilepsy since those performed by Penfield.

Revisiting the role of the insula in refractory partial epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Recent evidence suggesting that some epilepsy surgery failures could be related to unrecognized insular epilepsy have led us to lower our threshold to sample the insula with intracerebral electrodes. In this study, we report our experience resulting from this change in strategy. METHODS: During the period extending from October 2004 to June 2007, 18 patients had an intracranial study including 10 with insular coverage. The decision to sample the insula with intracerebral electrodes was made in the context of (1) nonlesional parietal lobe-like epilepsy; (2) nonlesional frontal lobe-like epilepsy; (3) nonlesional temporal lobe-like epilepsy; and (4) atypical temporal lobe-like epilepsy. RESULTS: Intracerebral recordings confirmed the presence of insular lobe seizures in four patients. Cortical stimulation performed in 9 of 10 patients with insular electrodes elicited, in decreasing order of frequency, somatosensory, viscerosensory, motor, auditory, vestibular, and speech symptoms. DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that insular cortex epilepsy may mimic temporal, frontal, and parietal lobe epilepsies and that a nonnegligeable proportion of surgical candidates with drug-resistant epilepsy have an epileptogenic zone that involves the insula.