Trial reportJournal of advanced research2026
Optimized stereoelectroencephalography-guided thermocoagulation versus anterior temporal lobectomy in mesial temporal epilepsy: A pilot randomized controlled study.
Trial report in Journal of advanced research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03941613 (Stereotactic-EEG Guided Radio-frequency Thermocoagulation Versus Anterior Temporal Lobectomy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy With Hippocampus Sclerosis), which is not on this map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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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.
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.
Stereotactic-EEG Guided Radio-frequency Thermocoagulation Versus Anterior Temporal Lobectomy for Mesial Temporal Lobe Epilepsy With Hippocampus Sclerosis
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Seizure Freedom Despite Piriform Cortex Sparing: Structural Connectivity Remodeling After SEEG-Guided Mesial Temporal RFTC.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Review
- Epilepsy: Molecular Pathogenesis and Emerging Therapies.MedComm · 2026Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionAnterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) is the standard surgical treatment for drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE); however, it is associated with cognitive decline and visual field deficits. In the current era of personalized medicine and quality-of-life-focused care, minimally invasive surgical strategies are increasingly needed. Optimized stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG)-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) is a promising option for preserving cognitive and visual function while providing effective seizure control.
objectivesMethods: This assessor-blinded randomized, controlled pilot trial enrolled patients with drug-resistant MTLE at Xuanwu Hospital between August 2019 and October 2022. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to the ATL or SEEG-guided RF-TC groups. The primary outcome was the change in cognitive function at the 1-year follow-up, assessed using the Chinese version of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (WAIS-IV-C). Secondary outcomes included the Wechsler Memory Scale-IV (WMS-IV-C), seizure control (Engel classification), visual fields (Humphrey perimetry), quality of life (QOLIE-89), and adverse events.
resultsThirty-eight patients (19 male [50.0 %]; mean [standard deviation] age, 28.3 [7.1] years) were enrolled, with 20 and 18 patients assigned to the ATL and RF-TC groups, respectively. At 1 year, the overall WAIS-IV-C scores did not differ between the ATL and RF-TC groups (P > 0.050). However, patients who underwent dominant-side RF-TC demonstrated superior preservation in the full-scale intelligence quotient (96.91 ± 15.83 vs. 113.44 ± 17.50, P = 0.040), cognitive productivity index (97.36 ± 15.64 vs. 116.89 ± 16.54, P = 0.014), working memory index (97.73 ± 12.89 vs. 115.56 ± 18.80, P = 0.022) and processing speed index (97.91 ± 15.44 vs. 115.00 ± 18.41, P = 0.036) compared to the ATL group. Visual field defects occurred more frequently in the ATL group (15/20, 75.0 %) than in the RF-TC group (3/18, 16.7 %; P < 0.010). The 1-year seizure freedom (Engel I) was comparable (ATL vs. RF-TC, 85.0 % vs. 72.2 %, P = 0.440; Engel IA: 65.0 % vs. 33.3 %, P = 0.103). The RF-TC group experienced fewer adverse events than the ATL group.
conclusionsOptimized SEEG-guided RF-TC preserved cognitive and visual function better in dominant-side MTLE than in ATL, with comparable seizure control and quality of life outcomes. Further multicenter studies with larger sample sizes and extended follow-up are needed to validate its efficacy and long-term safety.
trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov Identifiers: NCT03941613.
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