Abstract found on Wiley Online Library
Surgery can cure or significantly improve both the frequency and intensity of seizures in patients with medication-refractory epilepsy. The set of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions involved in the path from initial consultation to definitive surgery is complex and includes a multidisciplinary team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, and neuropsychologists, supported by a very large epilepsy-dedicated clinical architecture. In recent years, new practices and technologies have emerged that dramatically expand the scope of interventions performed: stereoelectroencephalography has become widely adopted for seizure localization; stereotactic laser ablation has enabled more focal, less-invasive, destructive interventions; and new brain stimulation devices have unlocked treatment of eloquent foci and multifocal-onset etiologies. This article articulates and illustrates the full framework for how epilepsy patients are considered for surgical intervention, with particular attention given to stereotactic approaches.