The conference highlighted the unique opportunity that exists for collaboration between basic and clinical neuroscientists to characterize the biochemistry, microanatomy, physiology and pharmacology of specific human brain regions by studying tissue samples resected at surgery. The need for prospective surgical therapy studies with well-defined entrance criteria and rigorously standardized outcome measures was also emphasized. This conference resulted in two publications. In March 1990, a National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference addressed the issue of Surgery for Epilepsy. The Consensus Panel made six recommendations for directions for future research.
Investigators differ in the selection of tests for preoperative evaluation.
This would require standardization of definitions, data collection, and central analysis of the data. The circumstances in which each technique is maximally effective should be clarified by standardized data collection including documentation of extent of surgical resection and multivariate analysis so that an appropriate trial may ultimately be planned, if needed. In February of 1992 a second international conference on epilepsy surgery was convened. The conference highlighted new areas of potential clinical research including identification of operable syndromes, timing of surgical intervention, comparison of medical versus surgical therapy, outcome evaluation and cost effectiveness. The 1992 conference again highlighted the unique opportunity for collaboration between basic and clinical neuroscientists.