SEEG-Guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation Beneficial for Pediatric Epilepsy

TUESDAY, March 31, 2026 (HealthDay News) -- For pediatric patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy, stereoelectroencephalography-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (SEEG-RFTC) is safe, with favorable outcomes for most patients, according to a study published online March 26 in the Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology.Weitao Chen, from Fuzhou Children's Hospital in China, and colleagues conducted a retrospective observational study across two epilepsy centers involving 111 children with drug-resistant epilepsy who underwent SEEG-RFTC to evaluate seizure outcomes. Patients were followed for at least one year after the procedure.The researchers found that 73 patients (65.8 percent) achieved seizure freedom. The seizure-free rate was 80.4 percent among 46 patients with focal cortical dysplasia. Six of 10 patients with hippocampus sclerosis were seizure-free at the final follow-up. Significant predictors of seizure freedom were course of illness and positron emission tomography (PET) findings, with shorter epilepsy duration and PET positivity showing significant association with favorable seizure outcomes."SEEG-guided RFTC is a safe and effective minimally invasive treatment for pediatric focal drug-resistant epilepsy, with approximately 60 percent of patients achieving long-term seizure freedom," the authors write. "This approach offers a valuable therapeutic option for children who are not ideal candidates for resective surgery."Abstract/Full Text.Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

SEEG-Guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation Beneficial for Pediatric Epilepsy

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