Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Critical Review of Palliative Surgical Techniques for Intractable Epilepsy

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Book cover Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery

Part of the book series: Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery ((NEUROSURGERY,volume 39))

Abstract

Approximately one third of epilepsy patients are not adequately treatable by antiepileptic medication. Curative resective epilepsy surgery can be performed in only a subgroup of these pharmacoresistent patients in whom the epileptogenic focus is localizable and does not overlap with eloquent brain areas. To the remaining patients (with bilateral or multiple epileptogenic foci, with epilepsy onset in eloquent areas, or with no identifiable epileptogenic focus) palliative epilepsy surgery can be offered if they suffer from disabling seizures. Standard palliative procedures currently comprise corpus callosotomy, multiple subpial transections, and vagus nerve stimulation. New approaches such as focus distant deep brain stimulation or direct stimulation of the hippocampus have gained the most interest. Feasibility studies, small pilot studies, and, recently, larger multicenter trials showed that direct brain stimulation shall be considered a potential helpful procedure in the field of palliative surgery. Moreover, with the increasing use of stereo-EEG in invasive video-EEG monitoring, stereo-EEG-guided thermocoagulation has the potential for a promising new treatment option in patients not amenable to resective epilepsy surgery. There is no general consensus on which palliative procedure is most effective in patients with difficult-to-treat epilepsy syndromes. The decision must be based on individual factors of a given patient. This review summarizes experience with palliative approaches collected in adult and pediatric patient series over the past decades and may help to thoroughly balance beneficial effects and risks of each procedure.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Aldenkamp AP, Majoie HJ, Berfelo MW, Evers SM, Kessels AG, Renier WO, Wilmink J (2002) Long-term effects of 24-month treatment with vagus nerve stimulation on behavior in children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 3:475–479

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Alexopoulos AV, Kotagal P, Loddenkemper T, Hammel J, Bingaman WE (2006) Long-term results with vagus nerve stimulation in children with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. Seizure 15:491–503

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Amar AP, Apuzzo ML, Liu CY (2004) Vagus nerve stimulation therapy after failed cranial surgery for intractable epilepsy: results from the vagus nerve stimulation therapy patient outcome registry. Neurosurgery 55:1086–1093

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Amar AP, DeGiorgio CM, Tarver WB, Apuzzo ML (1999) Long-term multicenter experience with vagus nerve stimulation for intractable partial seizures: results of the XE5 trial. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 73:104–108

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Andrade DM, Zumsteg D, Hamani C, Hodaie M, Sarkissian S, Lozano AM, Wennberg RA (2006) Long-term follow-up of patients with thalamic deep brain stimulation for epilepsy. Neurology 66:1571–1573

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Asadi-Pooya AA, Sharan A, Nei M, Sperling MR (2008) Corpus callosotomy. Epilepsy Behav 13:271–278

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Bauman JA, Ridgway EB, Devinsky O, Doyle WK (2006) Subpectoral implantation of the vagus nerve stimulator. Neurosurgery 58(4 Suppl 2):ONS-322-5; discussion ONS-325-6

    Google Scholar 

  8. Benifla M, Otsubo H, Ochi A, Snead OC 3rd, Rutka JT (2006) Multiple subpial transection in pediatric epilepsy: indications and outcomes. Childs Nerv Syst 22:992–998

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Benifla M, Rutka JT, Logan W, Donner EJ (2006) Vagal nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy in children: indications and experience at the Hospital for Sick Children. Childs Nerv Syst 22:1018–1026

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Ben-Menachem E, Hellstrom K, Waldton C, Augustinson LE (1999) Evaluation of refractory epilepsy treated with vagus nerve stimulation for up to 5 years. Neurology 52:1265–1267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ben-Menachem E, Manon-Espaillat R, Ristanovic R, Wilder BJ, Stefan H, Mirza W, Tarver WB, Wernicke JF, for the First International Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study Group (1994) Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of partial seizures: 1. A controlled study of effect on seizures. Epilepsia 35:616–626

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Blount JP, Langburt W, Otsubo H, Chitoku S, Ochi A, Weiss S, Snead OC, Rutka JT (2004) Multiple subpial transections in the treatment of pediatric epilepsy. J Neurosurg 100:118–124

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Boon P, Vonck K, De Herdt V, Van Dycke A, Goethals M, Goossens L, Van Zandijcke M, De Smedt T, Dewaele I, Achten R, Wadman W, Dewaele F, Caemaert J, Van Roost D (2007) Deep brain stimulation in patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia 48:1551–1560

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Buelow JM, Aydelott P, Pierz DM, Heck B (1996) Multiple subpial transection for Landau-Kleffner syndrome. AORN J 63:727–729, 732–735, 737–739, 741–744

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Catenoix H, Mauguiere F, Guenot M, Ryvlin P, Bissery A, Sindou M, Isnard J (2008) SEEG-guided thermocoagulation: a palliative treatment of nonoperable partial epilepsies. Neurology 71(21):1719–1726

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Celis MA, Moreno-Jiménez S, Lárraga-Gutiérrez JM, Alonso-Vanegas MA, García-Garduño OA, Martínez-Juárez IE, Fernández-Gónzalez MC (2007) Corpus callosotomy using conformal stereotactic radiosurgery. Childs Nerv Syst 23:917–920

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Chabardes S, Kahane P, Minotti L, Koudsie A, Hirsch E, Benabid AL (2002) Deep brain stimulation in epilepsy with particular reference to the subthalamic nucleus. Epileptic Disord 4(Suppl 3):S83–S93

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Charous SJ, Kempster G, Manders E, Ristanovic R (2001) The effect of vagal nerve stimulation on voice. Laryngoscope 111:2028–2031

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Chervin RD, Pierce PA, Connors BW (1988) Periodicity and directionality in the propagation of epileptiform discharges across neocortex. J Neurophysiol 60:1695–1713

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Chkhenkli SA, Sramaka M, Lortkipandize GS, Rakviashvili TN, Bregvadze ES, Magalashvili GE, Gagoshidze TS, Chkhenkeli IS (2004) Electrophysiological effects and clinical results of direct brain stimulation for intractable epilepsy. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 106:318–329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Cooper IS, Amin I, Gilman S (1973) The effect of chronic cerebellar stimulation upon epilepsy in man. Trans Am Neurol Assoc 98:192–196

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Cross JH, Neville BG (2009) The surgical treatment of Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Epilepsia 50(Suppl 7):63–67

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Cukiert A, Burattini JA, Mariani PP, Cukiert CM, Sárgentoni-Baldochi M, Baise-Zung C, Fortser CR, Mello VA (2009) Outcome after extended callosal section in patients with primary idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Epilepsia 50(6):1377–1380

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Cukiert A, Burattini JA, Mariani PP, Câmara RB, Seda L, Baldauf CM, Argentoni M, Baise-Zung C, Forster CR, Mello VA (2006) Extended, one-stage callosal section for treatment of refractory secondarily generalized epilepsy in patients with Lennox-Gastaut and Lennox-like syndromes. Epilepsia 47:371–374

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. De Herdt V, Boon P, Ceulemans B, Hauman H, Lagae L, Legros B, Sadzot B, Van Bogaert P, van Rijckevorsel K, Verhelst H, Vonck K (2007) Vagus nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy: a Belgian multicenter study. Eur J Paediatr Neurol 11:261–269

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. DeGiorgio C, Heck C, Bunch S, Britton J, Green P, Lancman M, Murphy J, Olejniczak P, Shih J, Arrambide S, Soss J (2005) Vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy: randomized comparison of three stimulation paradigms. Neurology 65:317–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. DeGiorgio CM, Schachter SC, Handforth A, Salinsky M, Thompson J, Uthman B, Reed R, Collins S, Tecoma E, Morris GL, Vaughn B, Naritoku DK, Henry T, Labar D, Gilmartin R, Labiner D, Osorio I, Ristanovic R, Jones J, Murphy J, Ney G, Wheless J, Lewis P, Heck C (2000) Prospective long-term study of vagus nerve stimulation for the treatment of refratory seizures. Epilepsia 41:1195–1200

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Eder HG, Feichtinger M, Pieper T, Kurschel S, Schroettener O (2006) Gamma knife radiosurgery for callosotomy in children with drug-resistant epilepsy. Childs Nerv Syst 22:1012–1017

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Elliott RE, Morsi A, Kalhorn SP, Marcus J, Sellin J, Kang M, Silverberg A, Rivera E, Geller E, Carlson C, Devinsky O, Doyle WK (2011) Vagus nerve stimulation in 436 consecutive patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy: long-term outcomes and predictors of response. Epilepsy Behav 20:57–63

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Ergene E, Behr PK, Shih JJ (2001) Quality-of-life assessment in patients treated with vagus nerve stimulation. Epilepsy Behav 2:284–287

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Feichtinger M, Schröttner O, Eder H, Holthausen H, Pieper T, Unger F, Holl A, Gruber L, Körner E, Trinka E, Fazekas F, Ott E (2006) Efficacy and safety of radiosurgical callosotomy: a retrospective analysis. Epilepsia 47:1184–1191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Fisher R, Salanova V, Witt T, Worth R, Henry T, Gross R, Oommen K, Osorio I, Nazzaro J, Labar D, Kaplitt M, Sperling M, Sandok E, Neal J, Handforth A, Stern J, DeSalles A, Chung S, Shetter A, Bergen D, Bakay R, Henderson J, French J, Baltuch G, Rosenfeld W, Youkilis A, Marks W, Garcia P, Barbaro N, Fountain N, Bazil C, Goodman R, McKhann G, Babu Krishnamurthy K, Papavassiliou S, Epstein C, Pollard J, Tonder L, Grebin J, Coffey R, Graves N, SANTE Study Group (2010) Electrical stimulation of the anterior nucleus of thalamus for treatment of refractory epilepsy. Epilepsia 51(5):899–908

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Fisher RS, Uematsu S, Krauss G, Cysyk BJ, McPherson R, Lesser RP, Gordon B, Schwerdt P, Rise M (1992) Placebo-controlled pilot study of centromedian thalamic stimulation in treatment of intractable seizures. Epilepsia 33:841–851

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Flanigin HF, Nashold BS (1976) Stereotactic lesions of the amygdala and hippocampus in epilepsy. Acta Neurochir 23:235–239

    Google Scholar 

  35. Fountas KN, Smith JR, Murro AM, Politsky J, Park YD, Jenkins PD (2005) Implantation of a closed-loop stimulation in the management of medically refractory focal epilepsy: a technical note. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 83:153–158

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Frost M, Gates J, Helmers SL, Wheless JW, Levisohn P, Tardo C, Conry JA (2001) Vagus nerve stimulation in children with refractory seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epilepsia 42:1148–1152

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. George R, for the Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study Group (1995) A randomized controlled trial of chronic vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of medically intractable seizures. Neurology 45:224–230

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. George R, Salinsky M, Kuzniecky R, Rosenfeld W, Bergen D, Tarver WB, Wernicke JF, for the First International Vagus Nerve Stimulation Study Group (1994) Vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of partial seizures: 3. Long-term follow-up on first 67 patients exiting a controlled study. Epilepsia 35:637–643

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Grote CL, Van Slyke P, Hoeppner JA (1999) Language outcome following multiple subpial transections for Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Brain 122:561–566

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Guenot M, Isnard J, Ryvlvlin P, Fischer C, Mauguiere F, Sindou M (2004) SEEG-guided RF thermocoagulation of epileptic foci: feasibility, safety, and preliminary results. Epilepsia 45:1368–1374

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Haberler C, Alesch F, Mazal P, Pilz P, Jellinger K, Pinter MM, Hainfellner JA, Budka H (2000) No tissue damage by chronic deep brain stimulation in Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol 48:372–376

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Handforth A, DeGiorgio CM, Schachter SC, Uthman BM, Naritoku DK, Tecoma ES, Henry TR, Collins SD, Vaughn BV, Gilmartin RC, Labar DR, Morris GL 3rd, Salinsky MC, Osorio I, Ristanovic RK, Labiner DM, Jones JC, Murphy JV, Ney GC, Wheless JW (1998) Vagus nerve stimulation therapy for partial-onset seizures: a randomized active-control trial. Neurology 51:48–55

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Hanson RR, Risinger M, Maxwell R (2002) The ictal EEG as a predictive factor for outcome following corpus callosum section in adults. Epilepsy Res 49:89–97

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Harden CL, Pulver MC, Radvin LD, Nikolov B, Halper JP, Labar DR (2000) A pilot study of mood in epilepsy patients treated via vagus nerve stimulation. Epilepsy Behav 1:93–99

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Helmers SL, Whenless JW, Frost M, Gates J, Levisohn P, Tardo C, Conry JA, Yalnizoglou D, Madsen JR (2001) Vagus nerve stimulation therapy in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy: a retrospective study. J Child Neurol 16:843–848

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Hodaie M, Wennberg RA, Dostrovsky JO, Lozano AM (2002) Chronic anterior thalamus stimulation for intractable epilepsy. Epilepsia 43:603–608

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Hufnagel A, Zentner J, Fernandez G, Wolf HK, Schramm J, Elger CE (1997) Multiple ­subpial transection for control of epileptic seizures: effectiveness and safety. Epilepsia 38:678–688

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  48. Irwin K, Birch V, Lees J, Polkey C, Alarcon G, Binnie C, Smedley M, Baird G, Robinson RO (2001) Multiple subpial transections in Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Dev Med Child Neurol 43:248–252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  49. Jalilian L, Limbrick DD, Steger-May K, Johnston J, Powers AK, Smyth MD (2010) Complete versus anterior two-third corpus callosotomy in children. Analysis of outcome. J Neurosurg Pediatr 6:257–266

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Jea A, Vachhrajani S, Johnson KK, Rutka JT (2008) Corpus callosotomy in children with intractable epilepsy using frameless stereotactic neuronavigation: 12-year experience at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. Neurosurg Focus 25:E7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Jea A, Vachhrajani S, Widjaja E, Nilsson D, Raybaud C, Shroff M, Rutka JT (2008) Corpus callosotomy in children and the disconnection syndromes: a review. Childs Nerv Syst 24:685–692

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Jenssen S, Sperling MR, Tracy JI, Nei M, Joyce L, David G, O’Connor M (2006) Corpus ­callosotomy in refractory idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Seizure 15:621–629

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Jobst BC, Darcey T, Bujarski KA, Thandani VM, Roberts DW (2009) Application of brief electrical pulses in the primary motor and supplementary motor cortex for the termination of after discharges. Epilepsia 50:2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Kerrigan JF, Litt B, Fisher RS, Cranstoun S, French JA, Blum DE, Dichter M, Shetter A, Baltuch G, Jaggi J, Krone S, Brodie M, Rise M, Graves N (2004) Electrical stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus for the treatment of intractable epilepsy. Epilepsia 45:346–354

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Kim DS, Yang KH, Kim TG, Chang JH, Chang JW, Choi JU, Lee BI (2004) The surgical effect of callosotomy in the treatment of intractable seizures. Yonsei Med J 45:233–240

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Kirse DJ, Werle AH, Murphy JV, Eyen TP, Bruegger DE, Hornig GW, Torkelson RD (2001) Vagus nerve stimulator implantation in children. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 128:1263–1268

    Google Scholar 

  57. Kostov K, Kostov H, Tauboll E (2009) Long-term vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epilepsy Behav 16:321–324

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Krahl SE, Clark KB, Smith DC, Browning RA (1998) Locus coeruleus lesions suppress the seizure-attenuating effect of vagus nerve stimulation. Epilepsia 39:709–714

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  59. Kwan P, Brodie MJ (2000) Early identification of refractory epilepsy. N Engl J Med 342:314–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  60. Kwan SY, Lin JH, Wong TT, Chang KP, Yiu CH (2006) A comparison of seizure outcome after callosotomy in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and positive or negative history of West syndrome. Seizure 15:552–557

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Labar D (2004) Vagus nerve stimulation for 1 year in 269 patients on unchanged antiepileptic drugs. Seizure 13:392–398

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Labar D, Murphy J, Tecoma E, for the E04 VNS Study Group (1999) Vagus nerve stimulation for medication-resistant generalized epilepsy. Neurology 52:1510–1512

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  63. Lega BC, Halpern CH, Jaggi JL, Baltuch GH (2010) Deep brain stimulation in the treatment of refractory epilepsy: update on the current data and future directions. Neurobiol Dis 38:354–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  64. Lesser RP, Kim SH, Beyderman L, Miglioretti DL, Webber WR, Bare M, Cysyk B, Krauss G, Gordon B (1999) Brief bursts of pulse stimulation terminate after discharges caused by cortical stimulation. Neurology 53:2073–2081

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  65. Liang S, Li A, Jiang H, Meng X, Zhao M, Zhang J, Sun Y (2010) Anterior corpus callosotomy in patients with intractable generalized epilepsy and mental retardation. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg 88:246–252

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Lim SN, Lee ST, Tsai YT, Chen IA, Tu PH, Chen JL, Chang HW, Su YC, Wu T (2007) Electrical stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus for intractable epilepsy: a long-term follow-up study. Epilepsia 48:342–347

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  67. Loddenkemper T, Pan A, Neme S, Baker KB, Rezai AR, Dinner DS, Montgomery EB Jr, Lüders HO (2001) Deep brain stimulation in epilepsy. J Clin Neurophysiol 18:514–532

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  68. Lüders H, Schuele S (2006) Epilepsy surgery in patients with malformations of cortical development. Curr Opin Neurol 19:169–174

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Lueders H, Bustamante LA, Zablow L, Goldensohn ES (1981) The independence of closely spaced discrete experimental spike foci. Neurology 31:846–851

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  70. Maehara T, Shimizu H (2001) Surgical outcome of corpus callosotomy in patients with drop attacks. Epilepsia 42:67–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  71. Maehara T, Shimizu H, Oda M, Arai N (1996) Surgical treatment of children with intractable epilepsy. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 36:306–309

    Article  Google Scholar 

  72. Majoie HJ, Berfelo MW, Aldenkamp AP, Evers SM, Kessels AG, Renier WO (2001) Vagus nerve stimulation in children with therapy-resistant epilepsy diagnosed as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. J Clin Neurophysiol 18:419–428

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  73. Mamelak AN, Barbaro NM, Walker JA, Laxer KD (1993) Corpus callosotomy a quantitative study of extent of resection, seizure control, and neuropsychological outcome. J Neurosurg 79:688–695

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  74. Marino Junior R (1985) Surgery for epilepsy. Selective partial microsurgical callosotomy for intractable multiform seizures: criteria for clinical selection and results. Appl Neurophysiol 48:404–407

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  75. Marlow BA, Edwards J, Marzec M, Sagher O, Ross D, Fromes G (2001) Vagus nerve stimulation reduces daytime sleepiness in epilepsy patients. Neurology 57:879–884

    Article  Google Scholar 

  76. Maxwell RE, Gates JR, Gumnit RJ (1986) Corpus callosotomy at the University of Minnesota. In: Engel J Jr (ed) Surgical treatment of epilepsies. Raven Press, New York, pp 659–666

    Google Scholar 

  77. McLachlan RS (1993) Suppression of interictal spikes and seizures by stimulation of the vagus nerve. Epilepsia 94:918–923

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Mirski MA, Ferrendelli JA (1986) Anterior thalamic mediation of generalized pentylenetetrazol seizures. Brain Res 399:212–223

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  79. Mirski MA, Rossell LA, Terry JB, Fisher RS (1997) Anticonvulsant effect of anterior thalamic high frequency electrical stimulation in the rat. Epilepsy Res 28:89–100

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  80. Morrell F, Whisler WW, Smith MC, Hoeppner TJ, de Toledo-Morrell L, Pierre-Louis SJ, Kanner AM, Buelow JM, Ristanovic R, Bergen D et al (1995) Landau-Kleffner syndrome. Treatment with subpial intracortical transection. Brain 118:1529–1546

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  81. Morrell F, Whisler WW, Bleck TP (1989) Multiple subpial transection. A new approach to the surgical treatment of focal epilepsy. J Neurosurg 70:231–239

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  82. Morrell M, Hirsch L, Bergey G, Barkley G, Wharen R, Murro A, Fisch B, Rossi M, Labar D, Duckrow R, Sirven J, Drazkowski J, Worrell G, Gwinn R (2008) Long-term safety and efficacy of the RNSTMsystem in adults with medically intractable partial onset seizures. Epilepsia 49:480

    Article  Google Scholar 

  83. Morris GL, Mueller MW (1999) Long-term treatment with vagus nerve stimulation in patients with refractory epilepsy. The vagus nerve stimulation study group E01-E05. Neurology 53:1731–1735

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Mountcastel VB (1997) The columnar organization of the neocortex. Brain 120:701–722

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. Mountcastle VB (1957) Modality and topographic properties of single neurons of cat’s somatic cortex. J Neurophysiol 20:408–434

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  86. Mulligan LP, Spencer DD, Spencer SS (2001) Multiple subpial transections: the Yale experience. Epilepsia 42:226–229

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  87. Murphy JV, for the Pediatric VNS Study Group (1999) Left vagal nerve stimulation in children with medically refractory epilepsy. J Pediatr 134:563–566

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  88. Murphy JV, Torkelson R, Dowler I, Simon S, Hudson S (2003) Vagal nerve stimulation in refractory epilepsy: the first 100 patients receiving vagal nerve stimulation at a pediatric center. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 157:260–264

    Google Scholar 

  89. Narabayashi H, Nago T, Saito Y, Yoshida M, Nagahata M (1963) Stereotaxic amygdalotomy for behavior disorders. Arch Neurol 9:1–16

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  90. Nei M, O’Connor M, Liporace J, Sperling MR (2006) Refractory generalized seizures: response to corpus callosotomy and vagal nerve stimulation. Epilepsia 47:115–122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  91. Orbach D, Romanelli P, Devinsky O, Doyle W (2001) Late seizure recurrence after multiple subpial transections. Epilepsia 42:1316–1319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  92. Osorio I, Overman J, Giftakis J, Wilkinson SB (2007) High frequency thalamic stimulation for inoperable mesial temporal epilepsy. Epilepsia 48:1561–1571

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  93. Parrent AG, Lozano AM (2000) Stereotactic surgery for temporal lobe epilepsy. Can J Neurol Sci. 27 Suppl 1:S79-84; discussion S92–6. Review.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Patwardhan RV, Strong B, Bebin EM, Mathisen J, Grabb PA (2000) Efficacy of vagal nerve stimulation in children with medically refractory epilepsy. Neurosurgery 47:1353–1357; discussion 1357–1358

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  95. Penry JK, Dean JC (1990) Prevention of intractable partial seizures by intermittent vagal stimulation in humans: preliminary results. Epilepsia 31(Suppl 2):S40–S43

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  96. Pinard JM, Delalande O, Chiron C, Soufflet C, Plouin P, Kim Y, Dulac O (1999) Callosotomy for epilepsy after West syndrome. Epilepsia 40:1727–1734

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  97. Polkey CE (2001) Multiple subpial transection: a clinical assessment. Int Rev Neurobiol 45:547–569

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  98. Purves SJ, Wada JA, Woodhurst WB (1995) Corpus callosum section for complex partial seizures. In: Reeves AG, Roberts DW (eds) Epilepsy and the corpus callosum 2. Advances in behavioral biology, vol 45. Plenum, New York, pp 175–182

    Google Scholar 

  99. Purves SJ, Wada JA, Woodhurst WB, Moyes PD, Strauss E, Kosaka B, Li D (1988) Results of anterior corpus callosum section in 24 patients with medically intractable seizures. Neurology 38:1194–1201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  100. Rahimi SY, Park YD, Witcher MR, Lee KH, Marrufo M, Lee MR (2007) Corpus callosotomy for treatment of pediatric epilepsy in the modern era. Pediatr Neurosurg 43:202–208

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  101. Rathore C, Abraham M, Rao RM, George A, Sankara Sarma P, Radhakrishnan K (2007) Outcome after corpus callosotomy in children with injurious drop attacks and severe mental retardation. Brain Dev 29:577–585

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  102. Reeves AG, Risse G (1995) Neurological effects of callosotomy. In: Reeves AG, Roberts DW (eds) Epilepsy and the corpus callosum 2. Advances in behavioral biology, vol 45. Plenum, New York, pp 241–251

    Google Scholar 

  103. Reichenthal E, Hocherman S (1977) The critical cortical area for development of penicillin-induced epilepsy. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 42:248–251

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  104. Renfroe JB, Wheless JW (2002) Earlier use of adjunctive nerve stimulation therapy for refractory epilepsy. Neurology 59:S26–S30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  105. Rosenfeld WE, Roberts DW (2009) Tonic and atonic seizures: what’s next – VNS or callosotomy? Epilepsia 50(suppl 8):25–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  106. Rougier A, Sundstorm L, Claverie B, Saint-Hilaire JM, Labrecque R, Lurton D, Bouvier G (1996) Multiple subpial transection: report of 7 cases. Epilepsy Res 24:57–63

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  107. Rutecki P (1990) Anatomical, physiological, and theoretical basis for the antiepileptic effect of vagus nerve stimulation. Epilepsia 31(suppl 2):S1–S6

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  108. Sawhney IM, Robertson IJ, Polkey CE, Binnie CD, Elwes RD (1995) Multiple subpial transection: a review of 21 cases. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 58:344–349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  109. Schachter SC (2002) Vagus nerve stimulation therapy summary: five years after FDA approval. Neurology 59(6 Suppl 4):S15–20. Review

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  110. Scherrmann J, Hoppe C, Kral T, Schramm J, Elger CE (2001) Vagus nerve stimulation: clinical experience in a large patient series. J Clin Neurophysiol 18:408–414

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  111. Schramm J, Aliashkevich AF, Grunwald T (2002) Multiple subpial transections: outcome and complications in 20 patients who did not undergo resection. J Neurosurg 97:39–47

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  112. Shahwan A, Bailey C, Maxiner W, Harvey AS (2009) Vagus nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy in children: more to VNS than seizure frequency reduction. Epilepsia 50:1220–1228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  113. Shimizu H (2005) Our experience with pediatric epilepsy surgery focusing on corpus callosotomy and hemispherectomy. Epilepsia 46(suppl 1):30–31

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  114. Shimizu H, Maehara T (2000) Neuronal disconnection for the surgical treatment of pediatric epilepsy. Epilepsia 41(Suppl 9):28–30

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  115. Smyth MD, Klein EE, Dodson WE, Mansur DB (2007) Radiosurgical posterior corpus callosotomy in a child with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. J Neurosurg 106(4 Suppl):312–315

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  116. Smyth MD, Tubbs RS, Bebin EM, Grabb PA, Blount JP (2003) Complications of chronic of chronic vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy in children. J Neurosurg 99:500–503

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  117. Spencer SS, Schramm J, Wyler A, O’Connor M, Orbach D, Krauss G, Sperling M, Devinsky O, Elger C, Lesser R, Mulligan L, Westerveld M (2002) Multiple subpial transection for intractable partial epilepsy: an international meta-analysis. Epilepsia 43:141–145

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  118. Sunaga S, Shimizu H, Sugano H (2009) Long-term follow-up of seizure outcomes after corpus callosotomy. Seizure 18:124–128

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  119. Tanriverdi T, Olivier A, Poulin N, Andermann F, Dubeau F (2009) Long-term seizure outcome after corpus callosotomy: a retrospective analysis of 95 patients. J Neurosurg 110:332–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  120. Tatum WOT, Helmers SL (2009) Vagus nerve stimulation and magnet use: optimizing benefits. Epilepsy Behav 15:299–302

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  121. Tellez-Zenteno JF, Dhar R, Wiebe S (2005) Long-term seizure outcomes following epilepsy surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Brain 128:1188–1198

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  122. Tellez-Zenteno JF, McLachlan RS, Parrent A, Kubu CS, Wiebe S (2006) Hippocampal electrical stimulation in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurology 66:1490–1494

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  123. Turanli G, Yalnizoglu D, Genc-Acikgoz D, Akalan N, Topcu M (2006) Outcome and long-term follow-up after corpus callosotomy in childhood onset intractable epilepsy. Childs Nerv Syst 22:1322–1327

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  124. Uthman BM, Reichl AM, Dean JC, Eisenschenk S, Gilmore R, Reid S, Roper SN, Wilder BJ (2004) Effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation in epilepsy patients: a 12-year observation. Neurology 63:1124–1126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  125. Van Buren JM, Wood JH, Oakley J, Hambrecht F (1978) Preliminary evaluation of cerebellar stimulation by double-blind stimulation and biological criteria in the treatment of epilepsy. J Neurosurg 48:407–416

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  126. Van Wagenen WP, Herren RY (1940) Surgical division of commisural pathways in the corpus callosum: relation to spread of an epileptic attack. Arch Neurol Psychiatry 44:740–759

    Article  Google Scholar 

  127. Velasco AL, Velasco F, Jimenez F, Velasco M, Castro G, Carrillo-Ruiz JD, Fanghänel G, Boleaga B (2006) Neuromodulation of the centromedian thalamic nuclei in the treatment of generalized seizures and the improvement of qualitiy of life in patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Epilepsia 47:1203–1212

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  128. Velasco AL, Velasco M, Velasco F, Trejo D, Castro G, Carrillo-Ruiz JD (2007) Electrical stimulation of the hippocampal epileptic foci for seizure control: a double-blind, long-term follow-up study. Epilepsia 48:1895–1903

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  129. Velasco F, Carrillo-Ruiz JD, Brito F, Velasco M, Velasco AL, Marquez I, Davis R (2005) Double-blind, randomized controlled pilot study of bilateral cerebellar stimulation for treatment of intractable motor seizures. Epilepsia 46:1071–1081

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  130. Velasco F, Velasco M, Ogarrio C, Fanghanel G (1987) Electrical stimulation of the centromedian thalamic nucleus in the treatment of convulsive seizures: a preliminary report. Epilepsia 28:421–430

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  131. Vonck K, Thadani V, Gilbert K, Dedeurwaerdere S, De Groote L, De Herdt V, Goossens L, Gossiaux F, Achten E, Thiery E, Vingerhoets G, Van Roost D, Caemaert J, De Reuck J, Roberts D, Williamson P, Boon P (2004) Vagus nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy: a transatlantic experience. J Clin Neurophysiol 21:283–289

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  132. Vonck K, Van LK, Dedeurwaerdere S, Caemaert J, De RJ, Boon P (2001) The mechanism of action of vagus nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy: the current status. J Clin Neurophysiol 18:394–401

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  133. Wadman WJ, Gutnick MJ (1993) Non-uniform propagation of epileptiform discharge in brain slices of rat neocortex. Neuroscience 52:255–262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  134. Wheless JW (2009) Managing severe epilepsy syndromes of early childhood. J Child Neurol 24:24S–32S

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  135. Wille C, Steinhoff BJ, Altenmüller DM, Staak AM, Bilic SB, Nikkhah G, Vesper J (2011) Chronic high-frequency deep-brain stimulation in progressive myoclonic epilepsy in adulthood – report of five cases. Epilepsia 52(3):489–496

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  136. Wilson DH, Culver C, Waddington M, Gazzaniga M (1975) Disconnection of the cerebral hemispheres. An alternative to hemispherectomy for the control of intractable seizures. Neurology 25:1149–1153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  137. Wilson DH, Reeves A, Gazzaniga M, Culver C (1977) Cerebral commissurotomy for control of intractable seizures. Neurology 27:708–715

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  138. Wong TT, Kwan SY, Chang KP, Hsiu-Mei W, Yang TF, Chen YS, Yi-Yen L (2006) Corpus callosotomy in children. Childs Nerv Syst 22:999–1011

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  139. Wright GD, McLellan DL, Brice JG (1994) A double-blind trial of chronic cerebellar stimulation in twelve patients with severe epilepsy. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 47:769–774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  140. Zachnetti A, Wang SC, Moruzzi G (1952) The effect of vagal afferent stimulation on the EEG pattern of the cat. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol 4:357–361

    Article  Google Scholar 

  141. Zentner J (1997) Surgical aspects of corpus callosum section. In: Tuxhorn I, Holthausen H, Boenigk H (eds) Paediatric epilepsy syndromes and their surgical treatment. John Libbey, London, pp 830–849

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Thomas Freiman, Department of Neurosurgery, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, for providing the Figures 1 to 4.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Epilepsy Center, University of Freiburg, Breisacher Str. 64, 79106, Freiburg, Germany

    Susanne Fauser

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Josef Zentner

Authors
  1. Susanne Fauser
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Josef Zentner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Susanne Fauser .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fac. Medicine, Dept. Neurosurgery, Hacettepe University, Sihhiye, Ankara, 06100, Turkey

    Nejat Akalan

  2. Ist. Neurochirurgia, Dipto. Neuroscienze, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Agostino Gemelli 8, Roma, 00168, Italy

    Concezio Di Rocco

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Wien

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Fauser, S., Zentner, J. (2012). Critical Review of Palliative Surgical Techniques for Intractable Epilepsy. In: Akalan, N., Di Rocco, C. (eds) Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery. Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery, vol 39. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1360-8_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1360-8_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Vienna

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-7091-1359-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-7091-1360-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation