Section of the corpus callosum(SCC) is a useful surgical therapy in selected types of epilepsy, i.e., tonic, atonic, and intractable generalized convulsive seizures. The object of this study was to determine effect of SCC on behaviors, electroencephalography(EEG) and Fos expression in the lithium-pilocarpine model of status epilepticus in the rat. A total of 40 Sprague-Dawley rats were used. They were divided into two groups: control and lesioned group, 20 rats for each. The control group had no callosal section and was injected with lithium-pilocarpine. The lesioned group had callosal section before lithium-pilocarpine injection. In each group, ten rats were used for behavior and EEG monitoring and other 10 were used for Fos expression. The results were as follows: 1) In the SCC group, four(40%) rats never developed status epilepticus, among them two(20%) never exhibited any seizure, while all of the control group developed seizure and status epilepticus. None of the SCC animals died until 24 hours after lithium-pilocarpine injection but 70% of the control animals died within 24 hours of status epilepticus. This difference was statistically significant(p<0.05). 2) The mean latency to the first seizure, status epilepticus and periodic epileptiform discharges after lithium-pilocarpine injection were 34.7+/-2.6min, 32.3+/-1.8min and 180.4+/-9.8min, respectively, in the SCC group, while was 21.0+/-2.0min, 58.2+/-6.9min and 215.6+/-7.2min, respectively, in the control group. These latencies were significantly longer than in the control group(p<0.05). 3) There was a massive Fos expression on the cerebral cortex in the control group at 4 hours after lithiumpi-locarpine injection , while it was less in the SCC group. This difference was statistically significant(p<0.05). In conclusion, complete corpus callosotomy had contributed to the protective effect on the development of status epilepticus in the lithium-pilocarpine model which was similar to that observed in humans. And result of Fos expression suggest that Fos immunohistochemisty may be useful in the study of seizure pathways as a metabolic marker in the lithium-pilocarpine model.
Animals ; Cerebral Cortex ; Electroencephalography ; Epilepsy ; Humans ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Seizures ; Status Epilepticus

PURPOSE: No standardized treatment protocol yet exists for intestinal Behcet's disease. The aim of this retrospective study was to identify the factors that are related to the recurrence and mortality of intestinal Behcet's disease. METHODS: Twelve patients who had undergone surgery for intestinal Behcet's disease at Korea University Hospital from 1991 to 1999 were chosen. Nineteen patients had been diagnosed as having intestinal Behcet's disease. Of the 19 patients, 7 are still being followed up, and 12 have undergone surgery, these patients were chosen as the subjects. RESULTS: Of the 11 cases, excluding one case that expired following the initial surgery, 8 cases required subsequent surgery due to recurrence. When the data was analyzed according to the patient's age, medication, classification of Behcet's disease, location of the lesion, operative method, and extent of resection, recurrence was shown to be related with medication and extent of resection (p<0.05). Of the 12 cases, 5 cases expired. When, the data of the 5 cases that expired were analyzed according to the patient's age, medication, extent of resection, classification of Behcet's disease, location of the lesion, and operative method, mortality was shown to be related with the location of the lesion (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Medical treatment is the primary therapy for intestinal Behcet's disease and radical extended resection extending 30 cm proximal and distal to the lesion prevents recurrence. However, when the lesion was located in the small intestine and formed a fistula with the duodenum, the prognosis appears to be extremely poor.
Mortality