Design and validation of a hemispherectomy simulator for neurosurgical education.

OBJECTIVE: Early adaptors of surgical simulation have documented a translation to improved intraoperative surgical performance. Similar progress would boost neurosurgical education, especially in highly nuanced epilepsy surgeries. This study introduces a hands-on cerebral hemispheric surgery simulator and evaluates its usefulness in teaching epilepsy surgeries. METHODS: Initially, the anatomical realism of the simulator and its perceived effectiveness as a training tool were evaluated by two epilepsy neurosurgeons. The surgeons independently simulated hemispherotomy procedures and provided questionnaire feedback. Both surgeons agreed on the anatomical realism and effectiveness of this training tool. Next, construct validity was evaluated by modeling the proficiency (task-completion time) of 13 participants, who spanned the experience range from novice to expert. RESULTS: Poisson regression yielded a significant whole-model fit (χ2 = 30.11, p < 0.0001). The association between proficiency when using the training tool and the combined effect of prior exposure to hemispherotomy surgery and career span was statistically significant (χ2 = 7.30, p = 0.007); in isolation, pre-simulation exposure to hemispherotomy surgery (χ2 = 6.71, p = 0.009) and career length (χ2 = 14.21, p < 0.001) were also significant. The mean (± SD) task-completion time was 25.59 ± 9.75 minutes. Plotting career length against task-completion time provided insights on learning curves of epilepsy surgery. Prediction formulae estimated that 10 real-life hemispherotomy cases would be needed to approach the proficiency seen in experts. CONCLUSIONS: The cerebral hemispheric surgery simulator is a reasonable epilepsy surgery training tool in the quest to increase preoperative practice opportunities for neurosurgical education.

From Resection to Disconnection for Seizure Control in Pediatric Epilepsy Children.

Epilepsy surgery revealed dramatically improved seizure outcomes over medical therapy in drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Children with epilepsy, however, have multiple epileptic focuses which require multilobar resection for better seizure outcome. Multilobar resection has not only the several severe surgical complications, such as hydrocephalus and shunt-related craniosynostosis, due to intracranial volume reduction. Isolation method (disconnection surgery) was progressively studied over epileptic focus removal (resective surgery) for seizure control. This concept was first introduced for functional hemispherotomy, and its primary principle is to preserve the vital vascularized brain that is functionally disconnected from the contralateral healthy brain. Currently in most epilepsy centers, the predominant disconnection surgical methods, including functional hemispherotomy, are continually being refined and are showing excellent results. They allow the functional isolation of the hemisphere or multi-lobe, affected by severe epilepsy. This review describes recent findings concerning the indication, surgical technique, seizure outcome and complications in several disconnection surgeries including the functional hemispherotomy for refractory pediatric epilepsy.

From Resection to Disconnection for Seizure Control in Pediatric Epilepsy Children

Epilepsy surgery revealed dramatically improved seizure outcomes over medical therapy in drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Children with epilepsy, however, have multiple epileptic focuses which require multilobar resection for better seizure outcome. Multilobar resection has not only the several severe surgical complications, such as hydrocephalus and shunt-related craniosynostosis, due to intracranial volume reduction. Isolation method (disconnection surgery) was progressively studied over epileptic focus removal (resective surgery) for seizure control. This concept was first introduced for functional hemispherotomy, and its primary principle is to preserve the vital vascularized brain that is functionally disconnected from the contralateral healthy brain. Currently in most epilepsy centers, the predominant disconnection surgical methods, including functional hemispherotomy, are continually being refined and are showing excellent results. They allow the functional isolation of the hemisphere or multi-lobe, affected by severe epilepsy. This review describes recent findings concerning the indication, surgical technique, seizure outcome and complications in several disconnection surgeries including the functional hemispherotomy for refractory pediatric epilepsy.

From Resection to Disconnection for Seizure Control in Pediatric Epilepsy Children

Epilepsy surgery revealed dramatically improved seizure outcomes over medical therapy in drug-resistant epilepsy patients. Children with epilepsy, however, have multiple epileptic focuses which require multilobar resection for better seizure outcome. Multilobar resection has not only the several severe surgical complications, such as hydrocephalus and shunt-related craniosynostosis, due to intracranial volume reduction. Isolation method (disconnection surgery) was progressively studied over epileptic focus removal (resective surgery) for seizure control. This concept was first introduced for functional hemispherotomy, and its primary principle is to preserve the vital vascularized brain that is functionally disconnected from the contralateral healthy brain. Currently in most epilepsy centers, the predominant disconnection surgical methods, including functional hemispherotomy, are continually being refined and are showing excellent results. They allow the functional isolation of the hemisphere or multi-lobe, affected by severe epilepsy. This review describes recent findings concerning the indication, surgical technique, seizure outcome and complications in several disconnection surgeries including the functional hemispherotomy for refractory pediatric epilepsy.