There may be hope for those suffering from refractory focal epilepsy, as a new study reveals that brain surgery may be the answer, according to the Los Angeles Times.
This form of epilepsy is known to be difficult to treat. Patients with this condition often do not respond to multiple types of medications. New research, however, has shown that more than half of people who underwent surgery for RFE did not suffer from seizures for the next five years. About 47 percent of participants went up to 10 years without experiencing seizures.
According to researchers, the more time that a patient went without seizures, the less chance they had of experiencing a relapse.
Of the patients who are seizure-free, nearly 30 percent have reportedly stopped taking their medications.
While the surgery seems to be an attractive option for those who have exhausted other treatments, the source stresses that this procedure is not the only cure or reason for remission. Because RFE is so difficult to treat, sufferers may be willing to try anything, and authors of the study say that this new option “is appealing,” reports the Times.
