Analysis of Pathology of Cerebral Epileptiogenic Foci acquired by Surgery in Patients with Epilepsy

Objective To analyse histological characteristics and pathological type of cerebral epileptogenic foci acquired by surgery. Methods The histological sections of 133 specimens of cerebral epileptogenic foci, which were acquired by surgery, were made by the routine method and stained respectively by hematoxylin and eosin, some special staining techniques and immunohistochemical techniques. Their pathological changes were observed under a light microscope. According to the pathological features of the epileptogenic foci, epilepsies were divided into primary epilepsy produced by primary cerebral structure abnormalities and secondary epilepsy produced by tumorous foci and nontumorous foci. Results Of 133 cases of epilepsy, 58 were primary epilepsy (43.6%) and 75 secondary epilepsy. In 58 patients with primary epilepsy, cortical microdysplasia was found in 15 patients, focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) ⅠA in 14, FCD ⅠB in 8, FCD ⅡA in 11, FCD ⅡB in 6, cortical dysplasia in 2, and cortical development malformation in 2. In 75 patients with secondary epilepsy (56.4%), neurogliocytomas were found in 41, the other primary malignant tumors or metastasis of malignant tumors in 9, benign tumors in 10 and nontumorous foci in 15. Conclusions Epilepsy may be caused by many intracranial etiological factors and pathological changes. The cerebral tumor is a most common cause producing epilepsy and the second cause of epilepsy is primary cerebral structure abnormalities according to the presented data. The etiological factor and pathogenesy of epilepsy are very complicated. The pathological change in the brain of the patients with epilepsy should be further studied.