The role of a neurologist in deciding on the treatment options in epilepsy: therapy and/or surgery
https://doi.org/10.17749/2077-8333.2019.11.3.286-292
Abstract
The existing approaches to treating epilepsy can be classified as therapeutic and/or surgical. In most cases, a patient with epilepsy is examined by a neurologist (or psychiatrist) and receives antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in order to control seizures. And it is the neurologist who decides on referring the patient to the surgeon for further treatment if the medications have no effect. Undoubtedly, there are situations when, during the initial examination, the doctor reveals life-threatening lesions or brain abnormalities, which unequivocally indicate the necessity of surgical treatment. The present article addresses the issues of professional caution required from the neurologist in less-obvious clinical cases, when the doctor has to rely on his/her own clinical judgement in order to identify the “surgical” situations and refer the patient to a neurosurgeon for an adequate treatment.
About the Authors
K. V. Voronkova
Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University;
Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Kira V. Voronkova – MD, PhD, Professor at the Department of Neurology
1 Ostrovityanova Str., Moscow 117997, Russia;
1A Litovsky Boulevard, Moscow 117593, Russia
A. I. Fedin
Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Anatoly I. Fedin – MD, PhD, Professor and Head, Department of Neurology
1 Ostrovityanova Str., Moscow 117997, Russia
A. E. Nikitin
Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Aleksei E. Nikitin – MD, PhD, Professor, Chief Physician at the Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
1A Litovsky Boulevard, Moscow 117593, Russia
A. A. Zuev
Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Andrei A. Zuev – MD, PhD, Head, Department of Neurosurgery
70, Nizhnyaya Pervomayskaya Str., Moscow 105203, Russia
N. V. Pedyash
Pirogov National Medical and Surgical Center
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Nikita V. Pedyash – MD, Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosurgery
70, Nizhnyaya Pervomayskaya Str., Moscow 105203, Russia
D. M. Bochaeva
Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University;
Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Diana M. Bochaeva – MD, PhD Student, Department of Neurology
1 Ostrovityanova Str., Moscow 117997, Russia;
1A Litovsky Boulevard, Moscow 117593, Russia
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For citations:
Voronkova K.V., Fedin A.I., Nikitin A.E., Zuev A.A., Pedyash N.V., Bochaeva D.M. The role of a neurologist in deciding on the treatment options in epilepsy: therapy and/or surgery. Epilepsy and paroxysmal conditions. 2019;11(3):286-292. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17749/2077-8333.2019.11.3.286-292
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