Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40377414›Full record

ArticleEpilepsia2025

Two-year outcomes of epicranial focal cortex stimulation in pharmacoresistant focal epilepsy.

Andreas Schulze-Bonhage, Martin Hirsch, Susanne Knake, Ann Mertens, Michael Rademacher, Elisabeth Kaufmann, Josua Kegele, Carolin Jenkner, Volker Coenen, Martin Glaser and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Epilepsia, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. EASEEEpilepsy currents
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Andreas Schulze-BonhageEpilepsy Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2382-0506
Martin HirschEpilepsy Center, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4496-1458
Susanne KnakeNeurology, University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
Ann MertensNeurology, University Hospital Gent, Ghent, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2357-9556
Michael RademacherEpileptology, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
Elisabeth KaufmannDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7582-2215
Josua KegeleDepartment of Neurology and Epileptology, Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0126-7466
Carolin JenknerClinical Trials Unit, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Volker CoenenDepartment of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery, University Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Martin GlaserDepartment of Neurosurgery, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
Sergiu GroppaDepartment of Neurology, Saarland University Medical Center, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Yaroslav WinterNeurology, University Hospital Marburg, Marburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9854-4038
EASEE Study Group

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) 13GW0269BPrecisis
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study was undertaken to report on the long-term safety and efficacy of epicranial focal cortex stimulation (FCS) using the EASEE device as adjunctive neuromodulatory therapy in improving seizure control in adults with pharmacoresistant epilepsy originating from one predominant epileptogenic zone.

methodsProspective open-label follow-up of patients from the EASEE II and PIMIDES I clinical trials was done for a period of 2 years after the epicranial implantation of the EASEE electrode and stimulator device.

resultsThirty-three patients underwent device implantation, and stimulation was activated in 32 patients. Of these, 26 patients continued stimulation up to 2-year follow-up and provided seizure diary data for efficacy analysis. The 50% responder rate at 2-year follow-up was 65.4% (95% confidence interval = 44.3-82.8), corresponding to a median seizure frequency reduction of 68%. Patients reported improved health-related quality of life. Tolerability was excellent, and there were no severe adverse events considered to be related to implantation or stimulation, nor were adverse effects on mood or cognition reported. SIGNIFICANCE: Results of the 2-year follow-up show that epicranial FCS is well tolerated by patients while providing improved seizure control in the long term. It thus offers a minimally invasive treatment option for patients with a predominant epileptic focus.

Indexed as

Cerebral CortexDeep Brain StimulationDrug Resistant EpilepsyEpilepsies, PartialAdolescentAdultElectrodes, ImplantedFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesQuality of LifeTreatment OutcomeYoung Adultepileptic focusfocal epilepsylong‐term outcomeneuromodulationneurostimulation

Identifiers

PMID40377414
PMCPMC12455469

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.