Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, and while medication is often the first line of treatment, it doesn’t always provide adequate relief to everyone. When seizures persist despite treatment, brain surgery may play a key role in managing certain epilepsy conditions. Here’s an exploration of the reasons surgery is sometimes needed, highlighting the different types of procedures available:
Why Is Surgery Commonly Needed?
Epilepsy is a neurological condition characterized by repeated seizures caused by irregular electrical activity in the brain. While some individuals experience seizure control with medication, some epilepsy patients face drug-resistant epilepsy, where medication alone fails to reduce the frequency or severity of seizures. When other treatment options are ineffective, brain surgery might be contemplated as a way to reduce or eliminate seizures. Surgery is generally explored after comprehensive evaluations, including brain imaging and monitoring, and surgery is tailored to each patient’s needs.
What Are The Types of Epilepsy Surgery?
Brain surgery for epilepsy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, there are several approaches, each designed to target specific causes of seizures or areas in the brain. The choice of surgery depends on the patient’s unique condition and seizure patterns.
Corpus Callosotomy
A corpus callosotomy involves severing or completely removing certain fibers that connect the two hemispheres of the brain. It is typically performed in children’s cases where seizures originate in one hemisphere but spread to the other, causing generalized seizures. This procedure doesn’t eliminate seizures entirely but may significantly reduce their severity and frequency.
Resective Surgery
This procedure involves removing the small section of the brain where seizures originate, often referred to as the epileptogenic zone. Resective surgery is one of the most common surgical treatments for epilepsy. A temporal lobe resection, focusing on the part of the brain responsible for memory and emotion, is a frequently performed resective surgery type. Patients with localized seizures often experience significant seizure reduction with this approach.
Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) uses implanted electrodes to deliver electrical signals to specific brain regions involved in seizure activity. These signals act to regulate abnormal brain activity and prevent seizures from starting. DBS is a less invasive procedure compared to resective surgery and may be an option for individuals who are not candidates for other types of brain surgery.
Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT)
With the assistance of imaging technologies like MRIs, surgeons can precisely locate the epileptogenic zone causing issues. LITT is a minimally invasive procedure that uses laser energy to target and destroy seizure-causing brain tissues. LITT offers shorter recovery times compared to traditional surgeries and may be especially suitable for patients with specific seizure focal points.
Hemispherectomy or Functional Hemispherectomy
This is a more extensive surgical procedure typically used for severe cases of epilepsy affecting a large portion of one hemisphere of the brain. A hemispherectomy removes or disconnects one hemisphere, significantly limiting seizure activity. While this surgery carries profound implications, it is generally reserved for cases where other treatments prove ineffective and when seizure control is imperative to improving someone’s quality of life.
Learn More About Brain Surgery
Brain surgery is a key treatment option for certain epilepsy conditions, offering new hope when other treatments fall short. Each type of procedure serves unique purposes, from reducing seizure severity to targeting specific areas in the brain causing the seizures. If you or a loved one is exploring epilepsy treatment options, contact a specialist today. Learn how personalized treatment plans could lead to better seizure management.
