Combined corpus callosotomy and intracranial recordings to localize the epileptogenic zone in children

Abstract

Corpus callosotomy, or surgical disconnection of the corpus callosum, is an operation used for patients with medically intractable epilepsy that reduces seizure frequency and severity in a number of different seizure types, particularly drop attacks. Though typically thought of as a palliative operation for epilepsies without a localizable epileptic focus, previous work has demonstrated that callosotomy alters the dynamics of seizure spread and in some cases can reveal previously undiscovered epileptic foci on follow-up electroencephalography or electrocorticography. In recent years, several case reports and case series demonstrate use of callosotomy as an aid to seizure localization in cases where traditional techniques have failed. In this manuscript, we describe the emerging literature describing callosotomy as an aid to seizure localization.

Keywords

Epilepsy - seizures - pediatrics - neurosurgery