Overview

Epilepsy surgery is effective for patients with medically refractory epilepsy. As resective surgical methods become increasingly concentrated within a smaller number of specialized centers, the essential skills and craft of 'open' epilepsy surgery are becoming increasingly more difficult to teach. This comprehensive hands-on course is designed to bring trainees and junior faculty together with seasoned epilepsy surgeons, for an immersive learning experience focusing on neuroanatomy, open procedures and complex case discussions. Participants will gain didactic exposure to the full spectrum of modern techniques for epilepsy surgery, including SEEG, robotic stereotaxy, laser ablation, RFTC and neuromodulation (VNS, RNS, DBS), bolstered by an invaluable cadaveric hands-on experience in standard resective strategies and technique.

Who Should Attend?

This educational activity is intended for neurosurgeons interested in epilepsy surgery.

Learning Objectives

After completing this educational activity, participants will be able to do the following:

• Describe the surgical anatomy of the temporal lobe and how the underlying pathology relates to the choice of surgical technique.
• Summarize the overall outcomes from surgeries for treating patients with epilepsy.
• Demonstrate the basic surgical techniques necessary to complete a functional disconnection of the epileptic cerebral hemisphere.
• Discuss the complexity of identifying ictal onsets in cortical regions outside the temporal lobe and identify specific techniques that allow safe surgical resection in eloquent cortex areas.
• Debate the rationale and show the appropriate techniques for placement of intracerebral electrodes to prove a hypothesis of seizure onset based on individual patient characteristics.
• Demonstrate the techniques of and rationale for of vagus nerve stimulation, responsive neurostimulation, and deep brain stimulation therapies.