Timing of antiepileptic drug withdrawal and long-term seizure outcome after paediatric epilepsy surgery (TimeToStop): a retrospective observational study

Abstract

Background Postoperative antiepileptic drug (AED) withdrawal practices remain debatable and little is known about the optimum timing. We hypothesised that early AED withdrawal does not affect long-term seizure outcome but allows identification of incomplete surgical success earlier than late withdrawal. We aimed to assess the relation between timing of AED withdrawal and subsequent seizure recurrence and long-term seizure outcome.