What is involved in intra-operative testing?
During epilepsy surgery, testing can be done to localize specific brain regions. This guides surgeons and allows them to obtain the best possible results. Some areas of the brain can be removed without apparent ill effects. However, there are some areas which removal could cause neurological deficits such as paralysis, or speech and language problems. Intra-operative testing helps guide the surgeon to avoid these critical brain regions. During surgery, stimulation of the brain with very small electrical currents is used to locate motor cortex and cortical speech centers. Stimulation of a speech center interferes with speech or comprehension of written or spoken language; the patient must be awake during such testing. If speech is on the same side of the brain where epilepsy surgery is to be performed, mapping of the brain while the patient is awake might be needed before an epileptic focus is surgically removed.
