Motor and sensory cortex and language cortex localization is performed and greatly minimizes neurological deficits from surgery. Results of surgical management for extratemporal epilepsy vary depending upon seizure types, invasive mapping, and epilepsy syndrome. Though extratemporal surgical cure rates are not as high as temporal surgery rates, patients with well defined epileptic zones limited to smaller areas of the brain which can be resected do better than in cases of widespread seizure areas. It is in the area of extratemporal seizures that out institution has improving success rates as these more difficult problems are managed with the latest techniques, imaging modalities and our greater understanding. This vertical columnar organization of the gray matter is preserved at the same time the neuronal network is disconnected and the epileptogenic critical mass reduced by this surgical procedure.
Brain function is preserved yet horizontal seizure propagation is reduced.
Experience with this technique in over 100 patient's has shown that it is safe and to be an important option for many patients. It does not directly remove the seizure onset but decreases the severity of the resulting event. Other patients considered for this procedure have partial seizures arising from multiple independent sites in the brain with very rapid spread to the entire brain and have been offered to patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Corpus callosotomy helps to reduce the severity and limit the spread of seizures in patients with multi-focal onsets and rapid generalized spread patterns for which other management is inappropriate. The generalized seizures and drop attacks tend to improve markedly and cure of seizures is not anticipated.