Preparing For Surgery In preparation for surgery you should do the following: - Write down any questions you may have. You will see the neurosurgeon for a presurgical visit before you come to the hospital and you will be seen again in the hospital, the day before your operation. The neurosurgeon will explain the details of the operation and answer any questions you have about risks, complications and benefits of surgery. It is important that you fully understand the operation.
- Take your medication in the usual dose.
- You will be admitted to the hospital the day before your operation to prepare you for surgery. Your head will be shaved. You may want to bring a head covering to wear home from the hospital.
- If your surgery involves the side of the brain which controls language (usually the left), brain mapping is done to preserve language function. The procedure involves reading short phrases or naming items presented on slides. The day before the surgery, you will go through a training session to be sure you are familiar with the mapping procedure. You will see the same slides that will be used during the operation so that you will know what to expect and can fully cooperate with the doctors during surgery.
Recovering From Surgery Most patients are able to be out of bed two days after surgery. Plan to be in the hospital for one to two weeks. However, it will be one to three months before you will be ready to return to work or school. After surgery you may experience some of these post-operative symptoms. Usually, these symptoms go away spontaneously.
- Numbness of the scalp
- Clicking in your ears when you open and close your jaws
- Difficulty opening your mouth fully
- Headaches
- Feeling depressed or tired for several weeks after surgery
- Auras - Some patients find that auras continue for weeks or months after surgery. This does not necessarily mean that your seizures will come back.
- Post-operative seizures. Some patients have a few seizures for 7-10 days after surgery. This does not necessarily mean that your seizures are back permanently.
- Memory or word-finding difficulties - For 2-6 weeks, patients who have had surgery on the dominant or left side of their brain may have difficulty remembering names or words. This problem usually goes away.
- Immediately after surgery, your hair will begin to grow back at a normal rate (approximately 3/4 of an inch per month).
More Info & Links Theodore H. Schwartz, MD - Epilepsy Surgery
Theodore H. Schwartz, MD - EPILEPSY-SURGERY.COM
Timothy D. Nichols, M.D.: Gamma - Knife: A Tool for Brain Surgery
Johns Hopkins Medicine - Gamma Knife
Johns Hopkins Epilepsy Center
Epilepsy Foundation of America Answer Place - Surgery
Cyberonics
Epilepsy Foundation of America Answer Place - Vagus Nerve Stimulation
The VNS from a Patient's Point of View
Epilepsy Links & Services
