Arriving at the surgical options for intractable seizures

Surgery is 80 to 90% effective in properly selected patients with uncontrolled epilepsy. The localization of the epileptic focus determines the applicable operation. Resective procedures are preferred because they offer the possibility of cure. However, in certain circumstances corpus callosum section can be used for palliation because it offers relief of generalized seizures and falls in a substantial proportion of individuals with uncontrolled secondarily generalized seizures who are not candidates for resection. Substantial progress in patient evaluation and protocols for surgical treatment has been made in the past decade.