It’s all about quality: Life after pediatric epilepsy surgery

This review addressed health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in children with medically refractory epilepsy and the impact of epilepsy surgery on HRQOL. Risk factors for poor HRQOL include the presence of cognitive, emotional or behavioural comorbidities, parental anxiety and depression, lower family socioeconomic status, stress and demands on the family, epilepsy-related variables and anti-seizure medications. Follow-up studies after epilepsy surgery have identified improvements in HRQOL, although findings are variable with respect to which aspects improved and which child, parent and family factors are associated with improvements. The key and consistent predictor is seizure freedom. Further research utilizing longitudinal designs and longer follow-up durations is needed to identify the timing and trajectories of improvements in HRQOL after surgery.