PSYCHOSOCIAL OUTCOME FOLLOWING TEMPORAL-LOBE SURGERY

Psychosocial status was assessed in 77 patients who underwent anterior temporal lobectomy for medically intractable complex partial seizures (46 left, 31 right). Psychosocial status was assessed at an average o f 3 1/2 years after surgery using a structured telephone interview. Mo st patients (92%) benefitted from a significant reduction in seizure f requency, with 64% considered seizure-free. Patients were classified i nto one of three groups based on their level of vocational improvement after surgery: improved (47%), stable (26%), and unimproved (27%). Mu ltivariate analyses indicated that patients who improved their vocatio nal status after surgery were more likely to report symptoms of emotio nal distress on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory before surgery than patients who failed to improve their vocational status. Thus, symptoms of emotional distress are not necessarily a contraindic ation for surgery but may reflect frustration that will motivate patie nts to achieve a positive psychosocial outcome.