Epilepsy surgery in China: past, present, and future

Since the 1990s, China has experienced a boom in epilepsy surgery. Five cities have established epilepsy centers, and at least one hospital in each of the 32 provinces provides epilepsy surgical services. Epilepsy surgery in China has benefited from the availability of advanced non-invasive diagnostic tools to delineate epileptogenic lesions and epilepsy functional deficits, increased medical and social acceptance of epilepsy surgery, and collaborations with the International League Against Epilepsy, the International Bureau for Epilepsy, and international epilepsy centers. However, national demand for epilepsy surgery still far exceeds supply, and epilepsy surgery is underutilized in many economically underdeveloped provinces. This paper analyzes the current progress of epilepsy surgery in China and details necessary steps for future development. Specifically, the growing need for standardized quality control, multidisciplinary research, and continued worldwide collaboration is addressed. Surgical therapy for epilepsy has experienced rapid growth in recent years, but many patients with active epilepsy did not receive appropriate treatment in China. Improved epilepsy education remains an important tool to correct the treatment gap. Epilepsy surgery has rapidly grown in China. The establishment of additional epilepsy centers, enhancement of multidisciplinary cooperation, standardization of surgical indications and techniques, increased public education, and government recognition of epilepsy treatment as a medical priority are interventions that will improve the surgical treatment of people with epilepsy in China.