Gamma Knife radiosurgery for epilepsy associated with cavernous hemangiomas:: A retrospective study of 49 cases

A retrospective multicenter study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in the treatment of drug resistant epilepsy associated with cavernous hemangiomas (CH). The mean duration of epilepsy before GKRS was 7.5 +/- 9.3 years. The mean frequency of seizures was 6.9 +/- 14/month. The mean marginal dose was 19.2 +/- 4.4 Gy (range 11.3 to 36 Gy). The mean follow up was 23.7 +/- 13 months. At the most recent follow-up examination, 26 (53%) patients were seizure-free (Engel's class I) including 24 in class IA (49%) and two (4%) patients with occasional auras (class IB, 4%). A highly significant decrease in the number of seizures was achieved in 10 (20%) patients, which is class IIB. The remaining 13 (2.6%) patients showed little or no improvement. A medial temporal location was associated with a higher risk of failure. In contrast, all patients with central region CH were seizure free. Two severe but transient complications were observed. There was hemorrhage in one patient and another patient suffered from radio-induced edema with transient aphasia. This series is the first demonstrating that GKRS can be used safely and efficiently to treat epilepsy associated to CH. Seizure control can be reached when a good electro-clinical correlation exists between CH location and epileptogenic zone. Our findings suggest that GKRS can be used to treat epilepsy for CH located in highly functional areas, particularly the central region.Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG. Basel.