Epilepsy Surgery

Epilepsy surgery may be an option when medicines don’t control seizures. This is a condition known as medically refractory epilepsy or drug-resistant epilepsy. Epilepsy surgery is done to stop seizures or limit their severity. Surgery also is done to lessen seizure-related deaths, decrease the use of anti-seizure medications and decrease the possible side effects of the medicines.

Poorly controlled epilepsy can result in a number of complications and health risks, including:

  • Physical injuries during a seizure
  • Drowning, if the seizure occurs during a bath or swimming
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Developmental delays in children
  • Sudden death, which is a rare complication of epilepsy
  • Worsening memory or other thinking skills