Spike-Associated Networks Predict Postsurgical Outcomes in Children With Refractory Epilepsy

PURPOSE Up to half of the children undergoing epilepsy surgery will continue to have seizures (szs) despite a cortical resection or ablation. Functional connectivity has shown promise in better identifying the epileptogenic zone. We hypothesized that cortical areas showing high information outflow during interictal epileptiform discharges are part of the epileptogenic zone. METHODS We identified 22 children with focal epilepsy who had undergone stereo electroencephalography, surgical resection or ablation, and had ≥1 year of postsurgical follow-up. The mean phase slope index, a directed measure of functional connectivity, was calculated for each electrode contact during interictal epileptiform discharges. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value for a sz-free outcome were calculated based on whether high information outflow brain regions were resected. RESULTS Resection of high outflow (z-score ≥ 1) and very high outflow (z-score ≥ 2) electrode contacts was associated with higher sz freedom (high outflow: χ2 statistic = 59.1; P < 0.001; very high outflow: χ2 statistic = 31.3; P < 0.001). The positive predictive value and negative predictive value for sz freedom based on resection at the electrode level increased at higher z-score thresholds with a peak positive predictive value of 0.86 and a peak negative predictive value of 0.9. CONCLUSIONS Better identification of the epileptogenic zone has the potential to improve epilepsy surgery outcomes. If the surgical plan can be modified to include these very high outflow areas, more children might achieve sz freedom. Conversely, if deficits from resecting these areas are unacceptable, ineffective surgeries could be avoided and alternative therapies offered.