Functional outcomes in adults following corpus callosotomy: A systematic review

Abstract

Corpus callosotomy is a commonly used surgical procedure for seizure relief in individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy but little is known about the functional outcomes of this surgery in adults. This paper systematically reviews published literature pertaining to post-surgical outcomes across cognitive and non-cognitive functional domains after anterior or total corpus callosotomy. Based on the 15 papers that met our inclusion criteria, our review suggested that praxis and visuoconstructional skills may be especially susceptible to decline after surgery, despite reduced seizure burden, with levels of attention and intellectual functioning often maintained or improving. Non-cognitive functional outcomes (quality of life, independent living, mood and behaviour) generally improved with reduced seizure burden.