[Foramen ovale electrodes in the study of temporal lobe epilepsy]

Corticograms of the mesial structures of the temporal lobe may be obtained with the recently developed foramen ovale electrodes. Since their installation is easy and of low risk, they will probably displace other invasive techniques routinely used up to the moment for the localization and lateralization of epileptic foci originated in the temporal lobe. For the first time in our country, we have used this technique in 7 patients with medically intractable complex partial epilepsy. In all the patients, the study allowed to clear doubts about the laterality of the start of ictal activity and to define irritative foci not found with conventional continuous superficial electroencephalographic recordings. The procedure was uneventful and the implanted electrodes were optimally tolerated. Foramen ovale electrodes are an effective diagnostic method for temporal lobe epilepsies and their features are specially appropriate for our milieu.