Epilepsy surgery program in Tunisia, the Charles Nicolle Hospital experience.
BACKGROUND
Epilepsy surgery is the best treatment in case of intractable epilepsy. However, it is underused in developing countries, creating an enormous treatment gap. On 2006, an epilepsy surgery program was set up in the Neurological Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.


OBJECTIVE
To describe its establishment and to emphasize on its originality that is an exchange and surgery decision taken by two Neurological teams via the internet.


METHODS
Patients underwent a phase 1 presurgical evaluation at the Neurological Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis. It included a detailed clinical history, a neurological evaluation, brain MRI, a continuous video EEG scalp monitoring and a neuropsychological evaluation.


RESULTS
According to the different electro clinical and radiological findings, the surgery indication was taken between the Neurological department of Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis and the Neurophysiological Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital in Rouen through the EUMEDCONNECT network project. ATL was performed and the four patients are actually seizure free.


CONCLUSIONS
Epilepsy surgery is actually a possible treatment option in Tunisia and should be indicated in patients with intractable partial seizures.
Khiari
Hela Mrabet
HM
Neurological Department, Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia.
Hattab
Nejib
N
Parain
Dominique
D
Proust
François
F
Attia
Neila
N
Mrabet
Amel
A
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011300:Preoperative Care; D014416:Tunisia