The risk of developing seizures before and after surgery for brain metastases

OBJECTIVE: Several risk factors have been shown to be associated with pre- and postoperative seizures in patients undergoing neurosurgical intervention for meningiomas and other primary brain tumors. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with pre- and postoperative seizures in patients undergoing surgery for brain metastases (BM).

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 286 patients who had undergone neurosurgical resection for brain metastases between 2007 and 2015 were included in this single-center retrospective cohort. Seizure incidence and patient characteristics were recorded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed for both pre- and postoperative seizures.

RESULTS: 16.8 % of patients presented with seizures before surgical intervention, and a further 7.7 % of patients developed seizures within 3 months of surgical resection of BM. Patient age, cerebellar location, large tumor size, and headache were negatively correlated with pre-operative seizures, whereas parietal location was positively correlated. Surgery for recurrent tumor was positively correlated with newly developed seizures after surgery.

CONCLUSION: Age, cerebellar location, large tumor size, and headache were negatively correlated with development of seizures while parietal location was found to be a risk factor. Lower age and resection of recurrent tumors was correlated with an increased risk of developing postoperative seizures. There was no correlation between type of primary tumor and development of seizures.