How Diagnosis of Epilepsy is Done?

A type of brain condition epilepsy is usually diagnosed via a multi-step procedure. The steps in this method are usually as follows:

1. Medical history, blood tests, and other clinical tests and neurological exams such as EEG, CT scan, functional MRI, SPECT, and PET imaging are used to confirm epileptic seizures in patients.
2. The type of seizure that the patient is having is determined by the results of the tests.
3. To determine the cause of epilepsy, a clinical examination is performed.
4. On the basis of the foregoing findings, the most appropriate therapy is chosen.

What is Epilepsy Surgery?

Epilepsy surgery refers to a variety of brain surgeries aimed at reducing epileptic episodes. Some techniques have the potential to entirely eliminate seizures for years.

Epilepsy surgery involves removing a portion of the brain from which seizures occur.

When seizures occur in a single region in the brain, epilepsy surgery is most successful. When at least two anti-seizure drugs have failed to control seizures, epilepsy surgery is considered as a last resort.

To assess whether you are eligible for epilepsy surgery and how the procedure is performed, a variety of pre-surgical tests are required.

The success rate of brain surgery for epilepsy is very high. It has the potential to improve your quality of life significantly.

Types of Epilepsy Surgery

Epileptic seizures are caused by aberrant brain cell activation (neurons). The kind of surgery required is regulated on the location of the neurons that cause the seizure and the patient’s age.

Epilepsy brain surgery can be very different from one person to the next. There are several forms of surgery that can be used to treat it, including:

Resective surgery: The removal of a small fragment of the brain is the most common epilepsy surgery. The surgeon removes brain tissue from the area of the brain where seizures occur, which is usually due to a tumor, brain damage, or abnormality. The temporal lobes, which control visual memory, language understanding, and emotions, are the most common targets for respective surgery.

LITT (laser interstitial thermal therapy): It is a minimally invasive procedure in which a laser is used to identify and destroy a small piece of brain tissue. The surgeon utilizes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to direct the laser. 

Hemispherectomy: It is a technique that involves removing one side (hemisphere) of the brain’s folded grey matter (cerebral cortex). This operation is normally reserved for children who have seizures originating from many sites in one hemisphere, which is frequently the result of a disease present at birth or in early childhood.

Corpus callosotomy: It is a surgery that removes all or part of the portion of the brain that links the right and left sides of the brain’s nerves (corpus callosum). This is most commonly utilised with youngsters who have aberrant brain activity that spreads from one side to the other.

Suggestion

People whose epilepsy originates in a specific area of the brain and does not respond to medicines may benefit from epilepsy surgery. Various procedures may be beneficial, and a neurologist can advise on the best solutions based on the individual’s needs.

Infection, hemorrhage, and scarring are all risks of brain surgery. Certain cognitive skills can be temporarily altered by epilepsy procedures, although these abnormalities can sometimes become permanent. Before undertaking a surgical treatment, it is critical to consider the benefits and risks with a medical team.

Helpful – Brain Tumor Surgery Cost in Turkey

Q: Can surgery cure epilepsy permanently?

A: A temporal lobectomy is the most common type of reconstructive surgery. It’s the most effective type of epilepsy surgery. It may help you experience fewer seizures while also lowering your chance of lasting brain damage.

Q: Why do people get epilepsy?

A: When epilepsy strikes older people, it’s often the result of another neurological problem, such as a stroke or a brain tumor. Genetic disorders, past brain infection, prenatal traumas, and developmental issues are some of the other causes. However, roughly half of patients with epilepsy have no known causes. 

Q: What part of the brain is cut to treat epilepsy?

A: When anti-seizure drugs don’t work, corpus callosotomy is used to treat epilepsy seizures. The surgery entails severing a band of fibres in the brain called the corpus callosum. After that, the nerves are unable to convey seizure signals between the two parts of the brain.

Q: What are the side effects of epilepsy surgery?

A: Memory problems, partial blindness, depression, and other emotional issues are all possible side effects of this type of surgery. These dangers will differ from person to person, and in some circumstances, they may only be transitory. After epilepsy surgery, some people’s memory and mood may improve.

Q: Can you lead a normal life with epilepsy?

A: Most people with epilepsy live a full life. However, the risk of early death is higher for some. We know that the best possible seizure control and living safely can reduce the risk of epilepsy-related death.