Corpus callosotomy in the treatment of secondary generalizing intractable epilepsy.

Over the past 5 years 9 patients underwent partial or complete corpus callosotomy for treatment of medically intractable epileptic seizures. A beneficial effect of the procedure was observed in 8 patients. Criteria for performance of the procedure included CT evidence of unilateral cerebral damage and non-localized epileptic foci in that hemisphere with secondary spread to the uninvolved side. The best results were obtained in atonic seizures. Long-term side effects were minor. The procedure is recommended in those patients with medically uncontrolled atonic or secondary generalized motor seizures in whom the corpus callosum is thought to mediate the spread of epileptic activity from a damaged cerebral hemisphere. Side effects are minimized by staging of the callosal section. If a partial callosotomy was beneficial, complete section can then be avoided.