Epilepsy brain surgery: a Pittsburgh perspective.
The views of the authors are presented about the past history and recent situation of epilepsy brain surgery in the United States. Issues of efficacy and quality of life are reviewed, and little empirical evidence is found supporting epilepsy brain surgery as a cost-effective treatment modality. Prospective randomized clinical trials have not been run to address these issues and various problems with patient recruitment and funding seem destined to preclude them.
Dasheiff
R M
RM
University of Pittsburgh Epilepsy Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA 15261.
Ryan
C W
CW
Lave
J R
JR
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D011612:Psychosurgery / Q000191:economics / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016896:Treatment Outcome