Augmented reality (AR) in microsurgical multimodal image guided focal pediatric epilepsy surgery: Results of a retrospective feasibility study.

Introduction and research question: Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly being used to improve surgical planning and assist in real time surgical procedures. A retrospective investigation was conducted to study its feasibility in pediatric epilepsy surgery at a single institution. Methods: Functional neuronavigation using multimodal imaging data (fMRI, DTI-tractography, PET, SPECT, sEEG) were used to augment the surgical navigation by transferring MRI imaging reconstructions as AR maps into the surgical microscope overlaying the surgical field. Results: Altogether, 43 patients (17 female, 0-18 yrs, mean 9 yrs) were operated between 10/2020 and 10/2023 and fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 26 patients (60.5%) had an extra-temporal and 17 (39.5%) a temporal seizure origin. The 3 top histological diagnoses encountered were: FCD (32.6%), ganglioglioma (23.3%) and DNET (11.6%). Preoperative MRI studies showed no epileptogenic lesion in 11 patients (25.6%, MRI negativ group), which necessitated implantation of depth electrodes before resection. There were no adverse events while using AR enhanced neuronavigation. Altogether, of 24 patients with a follow up of more than one year, 83.3% displayed a favorable ILAE grade 1 seizure outcome (75% ILAE 1a), 14 % experienced a transient hemiparesis, 4.3% a permanent quadrantanopia and one needed a subdural-peritoneal shunt. Discussion and conclusion: AR supported navigated microscope resection allowed targeting and removal of lesional as well as non-lesional (sEEG defined) epileptogenic zones in pediatric epilepsy surgery with low morbidity and an expected seizure outcome.