Definition
Hemispherectomy refers to a radical neurosurgical procedure in which a complete cerebral hemisphere is removed. This “disconnection” procedure enables functional isolation of single or multiple epileptogenic regions largely involving one hemisphere. The most common indication for the procedure is refractory hemispheric epilepsy or Rasmussen syndrome, a form of epilepsy associated with progressive destruction of one cerebral hemisphere. The outcome of hemispherectomy with respect to epilepsy and functional abilities depends on the underlying disease being treated.
Current Knowledge
Hemispherectomy, though a disabling procedure to treat medically intractable seizures predominately in children, may ultimately result in an improved quality of life. This is compared with the safety risks of constant uncontrollable seizures affecting one’s lifestyle and the toxic effects of anticonvulsant drugs used in an attempt to control them. In addition, it has provided fascinating insights...
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References and Readings
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Weintraub, A., Whyte, J. (2018). Hemispherectomy. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_37
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-57111-9_37
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