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A Review of Cognitive Outcome after Hemidecortication in Humans

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Recovery from Brain Damage

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 325))

Abstract

The surgical procedure of hemispherectomy was originally described by Dandyll and then independently by L’Hermitte22 as a radical treatment for malignant gliomas within a cerebral hemisphere. The procedure was first applied for relief from intractable epilepsy in a patient with infantile hemiplegia by McKenzie26 and gradually thereafter it came into use as one possible treatment for certain severe forms of epilepsy and behaviour disorder2,20,23,46. Although the surgical procedure is still commonly referred to in the neurosurgical literature as hemispherectomy, the actual resections as currently performed are more correctly referred to as hemidecortications. With the elimination of some of the long-term complications of hemidecortication through modified surgical procedures1,34,42, and with the introduction of new imaging techniques for guiding patient selection6, hemidecortication has gained widespread acceptance today as a treatment for severe epilepsy13 arising from such diverse conditions as Sturge-Weber-Dimitri disease30, hemimegalencephaly18, infantile hemiplegia, and “Rasmussen’s Encephalitis”33,35.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street, London, England

    Faraneh Vargha-Khadem

  2. The Neurosurgical Unit, Maudsley Hospital, London, England

    Charles E. Polkey

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  1. Faraneh Vargha-Khadem
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  2. Charles E. Polkey
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Goldsmiths’ College, University of London, London, England, UK

    F. D. Rose

  2. Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

    D. A. Johnson

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Vargha-Khadem, F., Polkey, C.E. (1992). A Review of Cognitive Outcome after Hemidecortication in Humans. In: Rose, F.D., Johnson, D.A. (eds) Recovery from Brain Damage. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 325. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3420-4_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3420-4_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-6512-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-3420-4

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