Skip to main content

History of Epilepsy Surgery

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Operative Techniques in Epilepsy
  • 1682 Accesses

Abstract

This is an introduction to the rather ill-understood and variety of remedies of the disease that was labeled as the falling sickness in the second millennium, which is the initial long-held notion of what we now know as epileptic seizures. The disorder of epilepsy remained poorly understood in the nineteenth century. However, it was also in the latter part of the nineteenth century that we began to witness a gradual awareness of the cause of epilepsy and even an increasing appreciation that intractability of seizures might be managed surgically. This was carried into the twentieth century in which a remarkable global interest, understanding, and management of epilepsy accelerated throughout the century. Finally, a summary of the very important North American contribution to the surgical management of intractable epilepsy is noted.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Alexander W. The treatment of epilepsy by ligature of the vertebral arteries. Brain. 1883;5:170–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey P, Gibbs FA. The surgical treatment of psychomotor epilepsy. JAMA. 1951;145:365–70.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bailey P, Green JR, Amador L, Gibbs FA. Treatment of psychomotor states by anterior temporal lobectomy. A report of progress. Res Publ Ass Nerv Ment Dis. 1935;31:341–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bates JAV. The surgery of epilepsy. In: Williams D, editor. Modern trends in neurology, vol. 3. Washington: Butterworths; 1962. p. 125–37.

    Google Scholar 

  • Billings JS. The surgical treatment of epilepsy. Cincinnati Lancet Obs. 1861;4:334–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cushing H. A note upon the faradic stimulation of the postcentral gyrus in conscious patients. Brain. 1909;32:44–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cutter IS. Benjamin W. Dudley and the surgical relief of traumatic epilepsy. Int Abstr Surg. 1930;50:189–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dudley BW. Observations on injuries of the head. Transylvania J Med. 1828;1:9–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feindel W. Electrical stimulation of the brain during surgery for epilepsy—historical highlights. Int Anesthesiol Clin. 1986;24:75–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feindel W, Leblanc R, Nogueira DE, Almeida A. Epilepsy surgery: historical highlights 1909–2009. Epilepsia. 2009;50(S3):131–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Zur Pathogenese und Chirurgischen Behandlung der Epilepsia. Zentralbl Chir. 1925;52:531–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Zur operativen Behandlung der Epilspsie. Dtsch Z Nervenh. 1926;89:137–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Sur Pathogenese und chirurgischen Behandlung der Epilepsie. Zentralbl Chir. 1929a;52:531–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Beiträge zur Pathophysiologie der Sehbahn und der Schsphäre. J Psychol Neurol Lpz. 1929b;39:463–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Uber die bedeutung und reichweite des lokalisation-sprinzips im nervensystem. Verh Dtsch Ges Inn Med. 1934;46:117–211.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. Sensible corticale Felder. In: Bumke O, Foerster O, editors. Handbuch der Neurologie, vol. 6. Berlin: Springer; 1936a. p. 1–448.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O. The motor cortex in man in the light of Hughlings Jackson’s doctrines. Brain. 1936b;59:135–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O, Altenburger H. Elektrobiologische vorgänge an der menschlichen hirnrinde. Dtsch Z Nervenheilkd. 1935;135:277–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foerster O, Penfield W. The structural basis of traumatic epilepsy and results of radical operation. Brain. 1930;53:99–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fox WL. Chapter 1. Neurological surgery before Walter E. Dandy: a brief introduction. In: Dandy of Johns Hopkins. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1984. p. 1–7.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hermann BP, Stone JL. A historical review of the epilepsy surgery program at the University of Illinois medical center: the contributions of Bailey, Gibbs, and collaborators to the refinement of anterior temporal lobectomy. J Epilepsy. 1989;2:155–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hitzig E. Hughlings Jackson and the cortical motor centres in the light of physiological research. Brain. 1900;23:544–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horsley V. Brain-surgery. Br Med J. 1886;2:670–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horsley V. Ten consecutive cases of operation upon the brain and cranial cavity to illustrate the details and safety of the method employed. Br Med J. 1887;1:863–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Krause F. Die operative behandlung der epilepsie. Med Klin Berlin. 1909;5:1418–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause F. Die Sehbahnen in chirurgischer Beziehung und die faradische Reizung des Sehzentrums. Klin Wschr. 1924;3:1260–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause F, Schum H. Die spezielle Chirugie der Gehirnkrankheiten. In: Kuttner H, editor. Neue Deutsche Chirugie, 3 Bände. II. Band. Die epileptischen Erkrankungen. Enke, Stuttgart; 1931;49a:482–6.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lloyd JH, Deaver JB. A case of focal epilepsy successfully treated by trephining and excision of the motor centres. Am J Med Sci. 1888;96:477–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meador KJ, Loring DW, Flanigin HF. History of epilepsy surgery. J Epilepsy. 1989;2:21–5.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nancrede NB. The operative treatment of Jacksonian and focal epilepsy. Ann Surg. 1896;24:122–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary JL, Goldring S. Chapter 16. Role of neurological surgery in the treatment of epilepsy. In: Science and epilepsy: neuroscience gains in epilepsy research. New York: Raven; 1976. p. 227–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olivier A. Epilepsy surgery at the MNI: from Archibald to the creation of the Shirley and Mark Rayport fellowship in surgery of epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2010;51 Suppl 1:97–100.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Patchell RA, Young AB, Tibbs PA. Benjamin Winslow Dudley and the surgical treatment of epilepsy. Neurology. 1987;37:290–1.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W. The epilepsies: with a note on radical therapy. N Engl J Med. 1939;221:209–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W. The supplementary motor area in the cerebral cortex of man. Arch Psych Zeit Neurol. 1950;185:670–4.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W. Combined regional and general anesthesia for craniotomy and cortical exploration. Part I. Neurosurgical considerations. Curr Res Anesth Analg. 1954a;33:145–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W. Temporal lobe epilepsy. Br J Surg. 1954b;41:337–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W. Bilateral frontal gyrectomy and postoperative intelligence. Chapter XXIII – symposium on gyrectomy, part 1. Res Publ Ass Nerv Ment Dis. 1947;27:519–34.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Baldwin M. Temporal lobe seizures and the technique of subtotal temporal lobectomy. Ann Surg. 1952;136:625–34.

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Evans J. The frontal lobe in man: a clinical study of maximum removals. Brain. 1935;58:115–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Flanigin H. Surgical therapy of temporal lobe seizures. Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1950;64:491–500.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Jasper H. Epilepsy and the functional anatomy of the human brain. Boston: Little, Brown and Co; 1954. p. 896.

    Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Paine K. Results of surgical therapy for focal epileptic seizures. CMAJ. 1955;73:515–31.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Steelman H. The treatment of focal epilepsy by cortical excision. Ann Surg. 1947;126:740–62.

    Article  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Welch K. Instability of response to stimulation of the sensorimotor cortex of man. J Physiol. 1949;109:358–65 [1.2, 7.5].

    CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Welch K. The supplementary motor area of the cerebral cortex: a clinical and experimental study. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1951;66:289–317.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Penfield W, Paine K. The results of surgical therapy for focal epileptic seizures. Proceedings of the fifth international neurological congress, Lisbon; 1953. [1.2]

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Surgical therapy of frontal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1963;4:181–98.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Cortical resection in the treatment of focal epilepsy. In: Purpura DP, Penry JK, Walter RD, editors. Advances in neurology, vol. 8. New York: Raven; 1975a. p. 139–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Surgery for epilepsy arising in regions other than the temporal and frontal lobes. In: Purpura DP, Penry JK, Walter RD, editors. Advances in neurology, vol. 8. New York: Raven; 1975b. p. 206–26.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Surgical treatment of epilepsy. CMAJ. 1977;116:1369–70.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Hemispherectomy for seizures revisited. Can J Neurol Sci. 1983a;10:71–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Characteristics of a pure culture of frontal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia. 1983b;24:482–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T. Surgical treatment of complex partial seizures: results, lessons and problems. Epilepsia. 1983c;24 Suppl 1:S65–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T, Branch C. Temporal lobe epilepsy: indications for the results of surgical therapy. Postgrad Med. 1962;31:9–14.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen T, Jasper H. Temporal lobe epilepsy: indications for operations and surgical technique. In: Baldwin M, Bailey P, editors. Temporal lobe epilepsy. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas; 1958. p. 440–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs E. The subpial resection of the cortex in the treatment of Jacksonian Epilepsy (Horsley operation) with observations on areas 4 and 6. Brain. 1935;58:492–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith S. The surgical treatment of epilepsy, with statistical tables, comprising all recorded cases of ligature of the carotid artery; and also of trephining the cranium by American surgeons. NY J Med. 1852;220–42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Temkin O. The falling sickness. 2nd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins Press; 1971.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Girvin, J.P. (2015). History of Epilepsy Surgery. In: Operative Techniques in Epilepsy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10921-3_1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10921-3_1

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-10920-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-10921-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics