Seizures can occur anywhere in the brain, but in children they frequently occur in the temporal and frontal lobes, affecting the functions that these regions control. A region of particular importance in adults with epilepsy, but less so in children, is
the mesial, or middle, part of the temporal lobe
.
What happens if you remove the temporal lobe?
A temporal lobectomy leads to
a significant reduction or complete seizure control about 70% to 80%
of the time [4, 5]. However, memory and language can be affected if this procedure is performed on the dominant hemisphere. Cortical excision is the second most common type of epilepsy surgery.
What part of the brain is removed for epilepsy?
The most common and best-understood procedure —
resection of tissue in the temporal lobe
— results in seizure-free outcomes for about two-thirds of people.
What part of brain prevents seizures?
Corpus callosotomy.
In this operation, which is sometimes called split-brain surgery, your doctor cuts
the corpus callosum
. This stops communication between the hemispheres and prevents the spread of seizures from one side of your brain to the other.
How successful is brain surgery for epilepsy?
How successful is epilepsy surgery?
Around 70% of people (7 in 10 people)
who have temporal lobe surgery find that the surgery stops their seizures and they become seizure-free, and for a further 20% (1 in 5 people) their seizures are reduced.
Does epilepsy shorten life span?
Reduction in life
expectancy can be up to 2 years for people
with a diagnosis of idiopathic/cryptogenic epilepsy, and the reduction can be up to 10 years in people with symptomatic epilepsy. Reductions in life expectancy are highest at the time of diagnosis and diminish with time.
Are you born with epilepsy or does it develop?
Epilepsy and
seizures can develop in any person at any age
. 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy in their lifetime. Factors such as other health conditions, age, and race may make developing epilepsy and seizures more likely.
Can the temporal lobe grow back?
Most people having temporal lobe resection surgery will be able to return to their normal activities, including work or school,
in six to eight weeks after surgery
. The hair over the incision will grow back and hide the surgical scar.
Can brain surgery treat epilepsy?
Your doctor may recommend brain surgery to treat epilepsy if you have seizures that medications can’
t
control. You must have tried two or more medications without success to qualify. Brain surgery for epilepsy has a high success rate. It may significantly improve your quality of life.
How much does brain surgery cost for epilepsy?
The median (25th-75th percentile) cost of the epilepsy surgery hospitalization was
$118,400
($101,900-$143,800). Total median annual follow-up costs, not including the cost of surgical hospitalization, were not significantly different between the two groups at 1- or 2-year follow-up.
Can epilepsy go away?
While many forms of epilepsy require lifelong treatment to control the seizures,
for some people the seizures eventually go away
. The odds of becoming seizure-free are not as good for adults or for children with severe epilepsy syndromes, but it is possible that seizures may decrease or even stop over time.
What do split brain patients see?
Since information cannot be directly shared between the two hemispheres, split-brain patients display unusual behaviours, particularly
concerning speech and object recognition
.
Where do seizures occur in the brain?
The temporal lobes
are the areas of the brain that most commonly give rise to seizures. The mesial portion (middle) of both temporal lobes is very important in epilepsy — it is frequently the source of seizures and can be prone to damage or scarring.
Is surgery safe for epilepsy?
In epilepsy surgery, some risks are common to all types of surgery and some are specific to operating on the brain. Risks will vary for each person and some difficulties after surgery may be temporary. The greatest benefit of epilepsy surgery is
having no or fewer seizures after it
.
What can I expect after brain surgery for epilepsy?
In the first week after surgery, people may have
headaches
, have an upset stomach, and feel tired. There may be temporary swelling of the forehead and area around the eye, as well as jaw pain on the side of surgery. People are usually given medication after surgery to help limit these post surgical symptoms.
How long does epilepsy surgery take?
RNS surgery is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes
2-4 hours
. Patients remain in the hospital for 1-3 days and are able to return to daily activities soon after discharge. Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS): Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a new treatment intended to reduce seizures.
