Can epilepsy be treated surgically?

  Epilepsy can be treated surgically with the goal of eliminating or reducing seizures and improving quality of life. However, the following conditions must be met: First, it must have been treated poorly with medication. Drug therapy here means continued for more than 2 years with reasonable and standardized treatment. The laboratory blood concentration is within the effective range and still cannot control the seizures.  Second, the epileptic lesions must be clearly localized. Whether the lesion is single or multiple, confined or diffuse, on one or both sides of the cerebral hemisphere, and whether it is located in an important functional brain region, these are all related to the difficulty and effectiveness of surgery and whether complications remain, so careful examination and evaluation must be done before surgery.  According to statistical analysis, after one anti-epileptic drug treatment, about 50% of patients with epilepsy can have fewer seizures, and if treated with two or more drugs, another 20% of patients can have fewer seizures. The remaining approximately 20-30% of patients with intractable epilepsy that cannot be controlled with medication need to be considered for surgery.