Objective: To study the clinical effects of treatment of secondary epilepsy caused by intracranial inflammatory granuloma by resection of the local focus and resection of local focus combined with bipolar coagulation.
Methods: Twenty-five cases of secondary epilepsy caused by intracranial inflammatory granuloma that were treated from January 1992 to June 1996 (the first group) underwent operation of resection of intracranial granuloma. Pathological examination of the specimens resected during operation was made. Twenty-three cases treated from July 1996 to December 1999 (the second group) underwent operation of the same style and low power thermal cauterization of the surface of multiple cerebral cortex. Specific antibiotic treatment lasted one month after operation for both groups. Antiepileptics were used at least for two years.
Results: In the first group, eighteen cases had been followed up, five cases of which showed unsatisfying control of symptoms of epilepsy; and 7 cases were lost to follow-up. In the second group, twenty cases had been followed up and their symptoms of epilepsy were controlled satisfying except in one case.
Conclusion: Low power thermal cauterization of the horizontal fibers among the neurons in cerebral cortex under pia mater is one of the essential measures for treatment of secondary epilepsy caused by intracerebral inflammatory granuloma. It is of equal importance as resection of local lesion.