Diagnosis and surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy

Objective To discuss the diagnosis and surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy, Methods From 1996 to 1998, 36 patients presenting with medically intractabl e temporal lobe epilepsy were identified by EEG and MR, including volumetri c MR, for hippocampal formation. Among them, 16 patients underwent anterior temporal lobectomy, while 20 patients accepted selective amygdalohippocamp ectomy. The results of surgical operation and follow-up are analyzed. Results With respect to seizure outcome, all patients benefited from surger y. The surgical results were satisfactory in 24 cases, notable in 11 cases, and good in 1 case, and there were no complications. Conclusion MR is beneficial for the localization of epileptic foci. Surgery is an effective method for the treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy; select ive amygdalohippocampectomy is the first choice for medial temporal lobe ep ilepsy. The transzygmatic-temporal lobe base approach presented in this stu dy improved the safety of the surgery.