How long does it take to recover from epilepsy surgery?
You can expect to stay in the hospital for 3 to 7 days after epilepsy surgery. Most people can resume their regular activities 2 to 8 weeks after surgery. Some people may need to stay in the hospital for several weeks for intensive therapy following certain surgeries, such as a hemispherectomy.
Does epilepsy go away after surgery?
Around 70% of people (7 in 10 people) who have temporal lobe surgery find that the surgery stops their seizures and they become seizure-free, and for a further 20% (1 in 5 people) their seizures are reduced.
Do seizures leave scars on the brain?
Most common with brain injuries are partial seizures, which typically arise from scar tissue from the injury.
Can brain scar tissue be removed?
Summary: Surgery is an option for patients who do not respond to medications and have epileptic scar tissue that can be removed safely. In 60 to 70 percent of surgery patients, seizures are completely eliminated, and the success rate likely will improve as imaging and surgical techniques improve.
Can you drive after epilepsy surgery?
We can assume that most patients were not driving immediately prior to surgery, given the fact that they had progressed to requiring surgery for treatment of their epilepsy. Thus, a driving rate of 68% after surgery can be considered good.
Can someone with epilepsy be a surgeon?
There are no federal laws barring people with epilepsy from working as a nurse, physician, phlebotomist or other medical-related position. In fact, federal civil rights law, and many state laws, may protect your right to work in the medical profession.
Do seizures affect memory?
Any type of epileptic seizure could potentially affect your memory, either during or after a seizure. If you have lots of seizures, memory problems might happen more often. Some people have generalised seizures that affect all of the brain.
What does a scar on your brain mean?
Scar tissue can form within the hippocampus and amygdala, areas in the brain that govern short-term memory and emotions. A person with this condition can develop a form of temporal lobe epilepsy with partial (focal) seizures that can spread and affect other areas of the brain.
Can scar tissue be seen on an MRI?
MRI is excellent for looking at scar tissue. MRI is able to distinguish between scar tissue and recurrent tumors.