Should we reconsider epilepsy surgery? The motivation of patients once rejected.
The pre-surgical work-up of patients with medically refractory epilepsy changes with the availability of new diagnostic procedures. New diagnostic investigations may also open up prospects for patients rejected in the past. A cohort of 71 Dutch patients rejected for epilepsy surgery 0.5-5 years earlier were approached to evaluate their willingness to undergo novel techniques. 64 (90%) responded to a questionnaire evaluating social and medical status, quality of life (QoL) and motivation to be reconsidered for epilepsy surgery. Four patients (6%) did not have seizures during the last 6 months. 56 patients (88%) were highly motivated to undergo new diagnostic procedures. Inability to localize the seizure focus had been the reason for rejection in 70% of these. We conclude that most patients once rejected for epilepsy surgery would like to benefit from novel techniques.
Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Rudolf Magnus Institute of Neuroscience, University Medical Centre Utrecht, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. G.J.M.Zijlmans@umcutrecht.nl
Maeike
M
Zijlmans
Erik
E
Buskens
Maaike
M
Hersevoort
Geertjan
G
Huiskamp
Alexander C
AC
van Huffelen
Frans S S
FS
Leijten
D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D017281:Cost of Illness; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018579:Patient Selection; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012640:Seizures / Q000453:epidemiology