Abstracts

Long Term Followup in Patients with Surgical Resections of Hypothalamic Hamartomas

Abstract number : 3.277
Submission category : 9. Surgery / 9B. Pediatrics
Year : 2016
Submission ID : 200224
Source : www.aesnet.org
Presentation date : 12/5/2016 12:00:00 AM
Published date : Nov 21, 2016, 18:00 PM

Authors :
Neil A. Kulkarni, Phoenix Children's Hospital and Jack Kerrigan, Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona

Rationale: Research to date has not followed hypothalamic hamartoma that have undergone surgical resection longer than 1-2 years. Our study attempts to determine the long term effects of surgical resection in patients. Patients were contacted a minimum of 5 years after their surgical resection at a major hypothalamic hamartoma center (Barrow Neurological Institute). Methods: Patients were contacted by email or by phone and asked to detail multiple facets of their life including their happiness with the surgery, whether they continue to experience seizures, their seizure burden before and after the surgery, whether or not they continue to experience endocronological abnormalities, and whether further surgeries were required. Results: Families are still being contacted and this should be completed by the time of the meeting, but at this point there seems to be relapse in many of the patients. Many of the patients continue to have epilepsy and may have experienced a "honeymoon period" immediately following the surgery. Furthermore, many of the patients had a relapse of endocronological abnormalities, and required additional surgeries. Conclusions: Surgical resection continues to be an extremely effective treatment for hypothalamic hamartomas but it may not be as effective as believed in the long term. Long term followup (> 5 years) of these patients demonstrate that many continue to have seizures, and have relapsed following surgery. This study aims to give a more thorough look at the success of surgery in the treatment of hypothalamic hamartomas. Funding: None
Surgery