The neurosurgery department of the Top Ihilov Medical Center in Israel performs complex neurosurgical operations for the treatment of epilepsy. Surgical intervention on the human brain is the highest skill of a surgeon.
The majority of patients with epilepsy are prescribed conservative treatment. However, statistics show that 20 - 30% of patients suffer from a form of epilepsy that is resistant to medication therapy.
Why is surgical treatment inevitable in some cases? Symptoms of epilepsy that are resistant to medication control are life-threatening. A seizure can catch a patient at any time, in any place, leading to severe injuries. The monstrous tension of muscles puts extreme stress on the heart, seizures are dangerous due to the swallowing of saliva and blood into the airways, respiratory arrest leads to disruption of acid-base balance, and the overexcitation of nerve cells can lead to their destruction, even to a comatose state. Even milder forms of the disease lead to severe depression.
Medication-resistant epilepsy can be treated surgically.
Preoperative assessment of patients needing surgical treatment for epilepsy includes a detailed medical history and physical examination, modern imaging techniques (CT, MRI, video-EEG monitoring, MRI, PET, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)), neuropsychological testing, and assessment of psychosocial functioning.
Candidates for surgical intervention are patients with medication-resistant forms, as well as those controlled by medications but with clearly localized damage to a brain area, allowing for easy and quick surgical treatment. The key method is the use of high-precision imaging techniques – MRI, PET, SPECT, which allow for the precise identification of the area of pathological impulse in the brain.
In complex cases, invasive EEG (electroencephalography) techniques are used. Electrodes are placed on one of the brain membranes or directly in the brain.
The goal of surgical intervention is to identify the abnormal zone of the cortex – the source of the pathological impulse and its precise removal. Initially, the area with visible structural changes is determined. Based on high-precision diagnostic techniques, structurally intact areas that are sources of seizure impulses are identified. The technique of choice is partial removal of a lobe of the brain, a section of the cortex, a hemisphere of the brain, as well as techniques for severing connections between the hemispheres and cerebellar-vagal stimulation. The most important task of the surgeon is to preserve the patient's identity, intellectual abilities, and emotional sphere as much as possible. Modern technology can detect small formations in the form of benign brain tumours, local atrophies, and pathological areas of the cortex. Targeted destruction and removal of deformities guarantee maximum preservation of the patient's mental functions.
The neurosurgery department of the Top Ihilov Medical Center occupies a prestigious place among the leading neurosurgical centers in world medicine. The trained staff of doctors, nurses, and support services, along with the availability of the most modern diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, allow Israeli doctors to successfully fulfill their mission – to get people back on their feet in the shortest possible time, giving patients a second chance at life and a full life.
- Epilepsy