Question
A 6-month-old baby cannot lift his head, can roll over, and has normal appetite. There are no significant abnormalities, but sometimes he trembles. Can pediatric epilepsy be treated with surgery?
Answer
Surgical treatment for epilepsy carries significant risks, and medication is the first choice. Early medication use leads to better outcomes, with about 75% of patients able to control seizures through medication. For benign pediatric epilepsy, if medication is continued and there are no seizures for 2 years or more, the dosage can be gradually reduced until it is discontinued. If epilepsy does not occur after discontinuation, it can be considered cured. For intractable epilepsy, surgery is the ultimate choice. It is advisable not to consider surgery lightly and to undergo regular check-ups and pay attention to lifestyle adjustments. If surgery is necessary, it is important to provide a detailed introduction of the disease process, triggers, duration, and frequency of seizures to the doctor before the operation. After surgery, it is crucial not to discontinue medication immediately, as even after the removal of the epilepsy focus, the surrounding brain tissue may still produce abnormal discharges leading to seizures. Continuing to take anti-epileptic drugs can suppress these abnormal discharges and allow the function of the brain tissue to gradually return to normal. Additionally, the trauma caused by surgery itself may also lead to recurrent seizures. Therefore, it is recommended to appropriately increase the types and dosages of anti-epileptic drugs within one week after surgery.