Electroencephalogram and antiepileptic drug therapy in postoperative intracranial meningioma

Abstract

We studied the risk factors for postoperative seizures in 32 patients with meningioma and investigated indications for discontinuing antiepileptic drugs (AED) by longitudinally evaluating pre-and postoperative EEG findings (including frequency analysis) as well as other factors. The period of postoperative follow up ranged from 6-months to 7-years. In 9 patients (28.1%), EEGs were normal or showed only mild abnormalities, and the peak of the alpha band range was increased 2-months after surgery. AED therapy was discontinued at that time and EEG showed a stable pattern thereafter without clinical seizures. Three patients (9.4%) had clinical seizures. The risk factors for postoperative seizures were poor EEG prognosis, postoperatiave brain edema, and failure to administer AED, or inappropriate timing of discontinuing AED.