Microsurgical Treatment of Epilepsy with Parenchymal Neurocysticercosis

Parenchymal neurocysticercosis is the most common form of neurocysticercosis in the central nervous system (CNS), which mainly causes epilepsy and usually responses well to routine medications. However, there are appreciable cases of relapses refractory to medical treatment. We investigated microsurgical treatment of epilepsy with parenchymal neurocysticercosis. Nine cases of epilepsy caused by parenchymal neurocysticercosis from 2002 to 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Cysts in 7 cases were completely removed. No case died of operation and no new dysfunction of the nervous system was observed after surgery. Among the other 9 cases, 8 cases became seizure-free or controlled by medicine according to the postoperative follow-up for 6 months to 9 years. One case was lost for follow-up. It was suggested that epilepsy with parenchymal neurocysticercosis can usually be controlled after routine medications. However, surgery is still indicated in some cases and careful microsurgery is associated with satisfactory clinical outcomes in appropriately selected cases.