Negative MRI and a seizure onset zone close to eloquent areas in FCD type II: Application of MRg-LiTT after a SEEG re-evaluation in pediatric patients with a previous failed surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Negative MRI and an epileptogenic zone (EZ) adjacent to eloquent areas are two main issues that can be encountered during pre-surgical evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Focal Cortical Dysplasia type II (FCD type II) is the most common aetiology underlying a negative MRI. The objective of this study is to present three cases of pediatric patients exhibiting negative MRI and a seizure onset zone close to eloquent areas, who previously underwent traditional open surgery or SEEG-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulations (RF-TC). After seizure seizure recrudescence, pre-surgical SEEG was re-evaluated and Magnetic Resonance-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRg-LiTT) was performed. We discuss the SEEG patterns, the planning of laser probes trajectories and the outcomes one year after the procedure. METHODS: Pediatric patients who underwent SEEG followed by MRg-LiTT for drug-resistant epilepsy associated with FCD type II at our Centre were included. Pre-surgical videoEEG (vEEG), stereoEEG (sEEG), and MRI were reviewed. Post-procedure clinical outcome (measured by Engel score) and complications rates were evaluated. RESULTS: Three patients underwent 3 MRg-LiTT procedures from January 2022 to June 2022. Epileptogenic zone was previously studied via SEEG in all the patients. All the three patients pre-surgical MRI was deemed negative. Mean age at seizure onset was 47 months (21-96 months), mean age at MRg-LiTT was 12 years (10 years 10 months - 12 years 9 months). Engel class Ia outcome was achieved in patients #2 and #3, Engel class Ib in patient #1. Mean follow-up length was of 17 months (13 months - 20 months). Complications occurred in one patient (patient #2, extradural hematoma). CONCLUSIONS: The combined use of SEEG and MRg-LiTT in complex cases can lead to good outcomes both as a rescue therapy after failed surgery, but also as an alternative to open surgery after a successful SEEG-guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation (RF-TC). Specific SEEG patterns and a previous good outcome from RF-TC can be predictors of a favourable outcome.

[Using a structural alternative (non-medical) in the "capillary" screening of arterial hypertension in a community. Means of intervention and evaluation in preventive cardiology]. / Utilizzazione di strutture alternative (non sanitarie) per uno screening "capillare" dell'ipertensione arteriosa nel territorio. Un mezzo di intervento e valutazione in cardiologia preventiva.

A "Community Control Programme of Hypertension" has been implemented in a Northern Italian population as part of an international co-operative pilot project promoted by World Health Organization. The programme was planned to last five years. Three years after the start we performed what we called a "capillary" screening in the community involved in the project. In fact a team of physicians and medical students moved about in the villages of the area where extemporary ambulances were set up with the aim of identifying new hypertensives, evaluating the state of the control of hypertension as compared with the situation at the outset of the study and, more generally, as a means of strengthening the ties between the project organization and the community. In doing so we also evaluated the feasibility of an alternative approach, based upon the cooperation with an organization outside the health service system, namely the Catholic Church, to achieve the set aims in a very religious population as ours. The parish priests of the villages did eagerly cooperate with our work both in the form of propaganda and in making available the parish buildings in which the ambulances were set up. We examined 1306 subjects (47.3% males), of whom 39.5% were hypertensives ("casual" blood pressure at or above 160 or 95 or treated). Of all the hypertensives, 28.6% were new hypertensives ("unaware"), 45.3% were being treated and 13.7% had a blood pressure lower than 160/95 mmHg while under treatment "effectively treated"); 16%, though, had blood pressure values at or above 200 or 120 mmHg. The state of control of hypertension was better in women and with increasing age. As compared with the findings at the outset of the study, 27,6% more "aware", 23.9% more treated and 9.6% more "effectively treated" hypertensives were found. Using the support of an alternative (non-medical) organization in a programme of preventive medicine in the community has proved to be, in our experience, a feasible, valuable and very cheap approach.