Brain tumors in the epilepsy surgery program of International Center for Neurological Restoration (La Habana)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the association of brain tumors with other lesions in patients undergoing epilepsy surgery at the International Center for Neurological Restoration (CIREN – Havana, Cuba), as well as the impact on clinical evolution following the resection guided by electrocorticography (ECoG).METHODS: Of the 47 patients with epilepsy operated in the CIREN, a descriptive study was conducted of those with confirmed diagnosis of brain tumor. Resections guided by ECoG were carried out and the histopathological diagnosis was carried out according to the classification of the World Health Organization. The system proposed by the International League against Epilepsy was used for the microscopic diagnosis of focal cortical dysplasia. The modified Engel scale was applied for post-surgical follow-up.RESULTS: The average age prior to surgery was 32.8 years (5-19 years) and the mean duration of epilepsy was 21.5 years (2-42 years). Histological analysis confirmed the presence of tumor in 6 patients (3 Gangliogliomas, 2 pilocytic astrocytomas and 1 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor); 4 corresponded to the temporal lobe and 2 extratemporals and of them, 3 were associated with focal cortical dysplasia. The postsurgical evolution was satisfactory, being free of seizures in its last evaluation, 5 patients (range of 7 and 9 years, grades Ia, Ib and Ic). The remaining patient achieved a considerable reduction in seizures (5 and half years of surgery with a grade IIIa).CONCLUSIONS: The resection of the tumor guided by ECoG allows diagnosing other unidentified lesions in the magnetic resonances in 50 % of the cases and whose epileptogenicity has been demonstrated. Favorable clinical evolution in most patients suggests the usefulness of intraoperative ECoG for the adequate resection of the epileptogenic zone. OBJETIVO: Determinar las características de los tumores cerebrales y las lesiones asociadas en pacientes sometidos a cirugía de epilepsia en el Centro Internacional de Restauración Neurológica (CIREN – La Habana, Cuba), así como el impacto en la evolución clínica posterior a la resección guiada por electrocorticografía (ECoG).MÉTODOS: De los 47 pacientes con epilepsia farmacorresistente operados en el CIREN, se realizó un estudio descriptivo de aquellos con diagnóstico confirmado de tumor cerebral. Se efectuaron resecciones guiadas por ECoG y el diagnóstico histopatológico se realizó según la clasificación de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Para el diagn