BrainWaves Quanta: Brain surgery for epilepsy

MedLink Neurology Podcast is delighted to feature selected episodes from BrainWaves, courtesy of James E Siegler MD, its originator and host. BrainWaves is an academic audio podcast whose mission is to educate medical providers through clinical cases and topical reviews in neurology, medicine, and the humanities, and episodes originally aired from 2016 to 2021.

Originally released: November 13, 2017

How often do you call the plumber and say, "My faucet is leaking," and then the plumber REMOVES your faucet? Problem solved, right? Ironically, this simplistic approach works extremely well in a variety of epileptic conditions. In this week's show, Dr. Myriam Abdennadher and Danielle Becker comment on the protocol and efficacy for surgery in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. Produced by James E. Siegler. Music by Little Glass Men, Montplaisir, Three Chain Links, and Squire Tuck. Voiceover by Isa Smrstik. BrainWaves' podcasts and online content are intended for medical education only and should not be used for clinical decision-making.

REFERENCES

DeGiorgio CM, Krahl SE. Neurostimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy. Continuum (Minneap Minn) 2013;19(3 Epilepsy):743-55. PMID 23739108

Engel J Jr, Wiebe S, French J, et al. Practice parameter: temporal lobe and localized neocortical resections for epilepsy: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology, in association with the American Epilepsy Society and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons. Neurology 2003;60(4):538-47. Erratum in: Neurology 2003;60(8):1396. PMID 12601090

Englot DJ, Wang DD, Rolston JD, Shih TT, Chang EF. Rates and predictors of long-term seizure freedom after frontal lobe epilepsy surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Neurosurg 2012;116(5):1042-8. PMID 22304450

Jobst BC, Cascino GD. Resective epilepsy surgery for drug-resistant focal epilepsy: a review. JAMA 2015;313(3):285-93. PMID 25602999

Schwartz TH, Spencer DD. Strategies for reoperation after comprehensive epilepsy surgery. J Neurosurg 2001;95(4):615-23. PMID 11596956

Spencer S, Huh L. Outcomes of epilepsy surgery in adults and children. Lancet Neurol 2008;7(6):525-37. PMID 18485316

We believe that the principles expressed or implied in the podcast remain valid, but certain details may be superseded by evolving knowledge since the episode’s original release date.