A Review of Current Research and Barriers to Access: Exploring Disparities in Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery

Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) impacts at least 30% of pediatric epilepsy patients, adversely affecting neurodevelopment and quality of life, as well as risk of sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP). While surgical intervention has proven to be an effective treatment for DRE, disparities in access to surgical care persist. Compared to adults, pediatric patients face unique challenges, including delayed recognition of surgical candidacy, limited access to specialized epilepsy centers, complex care coordination, and socioeconomic barriers.

This review explores the current state of pediatric epilepsy surgery, highlighting its effectiveness in achieving seizure freedom, improving neurocognitive outcomes, and reducing long-term healthcare costs. It further examines factors contributing to delays in surgical referrals, including physician and parental hesitancy, lack of access to specialized centers, and disparities in hospital resources.

Surgery is an effective treatment for pediatric DRE with a favorable risk profile, potential for seizure freedom, improved neurodevelopmental outcomes, and potential reduction in SUDEP risk. Yet, surgery remains underutilized due to disparities driven by socioeconomic status, insurance, race, geography, and systemic barriers such as limited provider awareness, inconsistent referrals, and uneven distribution of National Association of Epilepsy Centers Level 4 hospitals. Future efforts should focus on research to further define disparities and evaluate evidence for systems-based solutions, increasing accessibility of specialized centers, enhancing referring provider education, dissemination and regular revisitation of pediatric-specific epilepsy surgical guidelines for referral, and implementing policy reforms to improve insurance coverage and care coordination for this pediatric patient population.