Showing papers on "Epilepsy surgery published in 1980"
TL;DR: After anterior callosotomy there was marked reduction in frequency of all types of seizures, the greatest improvement being in the reduction of frequency of absences, and there was a marked decrease in physical, social and neuropsychological disabilities.
Abstract: Cerebral commissurotomy is a well established procedure in the treatment of epileptics refractory to drug therapy. Breeching of the ventricles in complete commissurotomy carries a certain morbidity. This has led others to perform Operations in which the entire corpus callosum or only its anterior portion with or without the anterior commissure were sectioned. Sectioning of the anterior corpus callosum alone is justified by: a) frequent appearance in patients of seizures attri- butable to a frontal focus, b) clinical and experimental evidence that frontal discharges spread accross the corpus callosum leading to subsequent generalized its, c) the attempt to understand the mechanisms involved in generalized seizures, d) even further reduced surgical morbidity and neuropsychological disability.
43 citations
TL;DR: Therapeutic electrical stimulation of nucleus caudatus was performed in 26 patients suffering from epilepsy and interesting speculation on the relationships between caudate and hippocampal electrical activity have been generated.
Abstract: Therapeutic electrical Stimulation of nucleus caudatus was performed in 26 patients suffering from epilepsy Sixteen of them had previously undergone destructive stereotactic surgery in different deep brain structures and the Stimulation was indicated as an additional procedure The results reported are related to 10 patients stimulated without any other surgical treatment In 3 subjects Stimulation of temporal lobe structures was performed as well
25 citations
TL;DR: It is postulated that at birth all cerebral functions including consciousness, speech, and movement are bilaterally represented, but to unequal degrees, with training and education these functions become more lateralized, which can explain the greater plasticity of the brain in childhood.
Abstract: This study is based on 28 personal cases. Twenty seven cases of infantile hemiplegia and one case of Sturge-Weber syndrome, with uncontrollable epilepsy and severe behaviour disturbance, were subjected to hemispherectomy. Any evidence of a defect in the other hemisphere was a contraindication to operation. In nine cases the left cerebral hemisphere was removed. Following the operation, epilepsy and behavior disturbances were abolished in nearly all of the cases. In those with left hemispherectomy there was no speech disturbance before or after the operation. It is postulated that at birth all cerebral functions including consciousness, speech, and movement are bilaterally represented, but to unequal degrees. With training and education these functions become more lateralized. Thus, we can explain the greater plasticity of the brain in childhood.
20 citations
TL;DR: It is felt that stereotactic lesions larger than produced by the leucotome used should be performed provided the authors have proofs that the epileptogenic focus is in a restricted area.
Abstract: Chronic depth electrodes have proven useful in diagnosing primary epilepsy of the limbic system. Five patients had small lesions in the amygdala and hippo-campus. There was a 50% reduction of the seizures frequency. No complication were observed and patients were ambulant the day following surgery. It is feit that stereotactic lesions larger than produced by the leucotome used should be performed provided we have proofs that the epileptogenic focus is in a restricted area. Stereotactic lesions may also have a role in interrupting pathways clearly proven as participating in the epileptic discharge. Only under these conditions, will it be possible to say that stereotactic lesions are effective in specific type of epilepsy.
11 citations