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Epilepsy Professional

A stab in the dark

Epilepsy surgery: past, present and future

Consultant neuropsychologist Dr Sallie Baxendale takes a broad view of epilepsy surgery. She explores a dark past and asks: how far have we come?

The 60th anniversary of Epilepsy Action is an appropriate time to reflect upon the past, present and future of epilepsy surgery. The late 1940s – shortly before the birth of the organisation – heralded the beginning of the modern era of surgical interventions for epilepsy.

The perfect drug

Consultant paediatric neurologist Richard E Appleton evaluates the success of developing new epilepsy medications – and describes the ideal AED

My entry into secondary school education coincided with the UK’s introduction of one of the – until very recently – ‘standard’ antiepileptic drugs (AEDs):
carbamazepine. My beginning an undergraduate medical education closely coincided with the UK licensing of the pillar of ‘standard’ AEDs: sodium valproate. The launch of my consultant career 20 years ago coincided with the introduction of the first of the ‘new’ and so-called ‘designer’ AEDs: vigabatrin. Eventually my patellar hammer and tape measure (for measuring the allimportant occipito-frontal head circumference of infants and children) will be shelved.

It’s complicated - Epilepsy and learning disability

Epilepsy nurse specialist Donald Mackintosh describes cases of severe epilepsy – made more complicated by the presence of learning disability.

As many EP readers are no doubt already aware, diagnosing, treating and managing epilepsy can be a complicated business. Of course, there are times when everything fits neatly into place and a clear successful outcome emerges. But for a sizable proportion of people who struggle with epilepsy, there are many different – and, at times, apparently competing – factors at work within each individual’s situation.

And much more in the December 2009 issue of Epilepsy Professional

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