Long-Term Outcomes of Epilepsy Surgery: Knowledge Gaps and Future Directions

Abstract

Although epilepsy surgery has long been recognized as an effective treatment for carefully selected adults and children, studies of long-term seizure control are relatively rare and studies of the wider aspects of surgical outcome are even more scarce. In summarizing the literature, many of the chapters in this volume have highlighted what we do not know about epilepsy surgery outcomes rather than what we do. This chapter highlights the gaps in the adult and pediatric literature and discusses the roles that networking, collaboration, and adherence to a basic set of standards may play in addressing the current shortcomings of the literature.