Who is a candidate for epilepsy surgery?
Not every patient with epilepsy can be helped by epilepsy surgery. Fairly standard criteria must be met before surgery can be considered: • Epilepsy that continues despite adequate trials of antiepileptic medication • Seizures must be disabling • Seizures must start in a region of brain that can be removed safely; patients with generalized seizures that involve large regions of both sides of the brain are not surgical candidates If patients meet the criteria, they will need to be evaluated by an epileptologist, a neurologist specializing in epilepsy at a center that has the necessary expertise. During the evaluation, a patient might need a variety of tests to provide further information, such as neuropsychological testing, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography (PET) or single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scanning, video EEG monitoring and, possibly, surgical implantation of electrodes.
