"Palliative" surgical procedures in refractory epilepsy
Novy, J.; Pollo, C.; Schaller, K.; Vulliémoz, S.
Revue Medicale Suisse 6(247): 916; 918-920
2010
ISSN/ISBN: 1660-9379 PMID: 20499579 Document Number: 643472
In some patients with refractory epilepsy, no resective surgery of the epileptogenic zone can be offered. This is the case when for instance the epileptogenic zone is located in an eloquent region (motor, language or visual) or when there are several epileptogenic zones. When disabling seizures persist despite the medical treatment, several surgical procedures can be proposed with the aim of decreasing the seizure frequency. Among these procedures, we review briefly here vagus nerve stimulation, the various brain stimulations procedures, multiples subpial transsections, and the corpus callosotomy. For each procedure, we will discuss its indication and outcome.