Epilepsy Surgery
Surgery for epilepsy may be an option for some patients who have seizures that are not controlled by anti-epileptic medications. The two primary goals of epilepsy surgery are:
- To greatly improve the person’s seizure control;
- To improve the quality of his or her life.
Although some people do become seizure-free after epilepsy surgery, not everyone does so and no surgery is without risk. To ensure that patients have the best chance for a good outcome, we require many vigorous and comprehensive tests.
The best candidates for focal resective epilepsy surgery are patients who:
- Have seizures that are not controlled with medication;
- Have the “right type” of seizure: partial onset epilepsy;
- Have one seizure focus in a part of the brain where it is safe to do surgery;
- Have a positive attitude and a supportive family;
- Have the potential to return to work or school.