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Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease marked by recurrent, unpredictable seizures. These seizures are caused by abnormal electrical discharges in the brain, leading to behavior, sensation, or consciousness alterations. They can also cause transient impairment of awareness, interfering with daily activities.
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Updated: May 11, 2026

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Electromagnetic Source Imaging in Presurgical Evaluation of Children with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Published on: September 20, 2024

Pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Georg Dorfmüller¹, Olivier Delalande

¹Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe de Rothschild, Paris, France; INSERM, U663, Paris, France.

Handbook of Clinical Neurology

|April 30, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Pediatric epilepsy surgery differs from adult approaches due to diverse causes like developmental malformations. Minimally invasive techniques and image guidance are improving outcomes for children with epilepsy.

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Area of Science:

Neurosurgery
Pediatric Neurology
Epileptology

Background:

Pediatric epilepsy surgery differs significantly from adult procedures.
Childhood epilepsy presents diverse etiologies, including cortical malformations and tumors.
Surgical techniques have evolved from extensive resections to less invasive methods.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare pediatric epilepsy surgery with adult procedures.
To highlight the evolving surgical techniques in pediatric epilepsy.
To discuss the impact of new technologies on pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Main Methods:

Review of surgical techniques for pediatric epilepsy.
Comparison of procedures based on patient age and epilepsy etiology.
Analysis of minimally invasive approaches and image-guided navigation.

Main Results:

Extensive resections are common in younger children for extratemporal epilepsy.
Temporo-mesial resection dominates adult epilepsy surgery.
Less invasive techniques like hemispherotomy and endoscopic procedures are increasingly used in children.
Image-guided navigation enhances surgical planning and execution.

Conclusions:

Pediatric epilepsy surgery is tailored to diverse etiologies and age groups.
Minimally invasive techniques and advanced navigation systems are improving safety and efficacy.
Outcomes in pediatric epilepsy surgery are comparable to adults, depending on the specific procedure.