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Seminars in Neurosurgery 2002; 13(1): 071-080
DOI: 10.1055/s-2002-35249
Copyright © 2002 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA. Tel.: +1(212) 584-4662

Surgical Treatment of Pediatric Epilepsy

Jeffrey G. Ojemann
  • Department of Neurological Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; and St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
04 November 2002 (online)

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ABSTRACT

Children with medically refractory epilepsy may benefit from neurosurgical interventions. As in adults, temporal lobectomy in patients with temporal lobe seizure focus gives good rates of long-term seizure freedom. Neocortical foci are more common in children and often require invasive monitoring with different resective surgeries to treat. Hemispherectomy in patients with unilateral epilepsy and hemispheric deficits has a good outcome as well. Corpus callosotomy and vagus nerve stimulation are effective tools to reduce seizure severity and frequency in children who are not candidates for resective surgery.

KEYWORDS

Intractable seizures - temporal lobectomy - hemispherectomy - vagus nerve stimulator

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