Psychosocial and cognitive function after commissurotomy for intractable seizures.

Cerebral commissurotomy appears to be an effective treatment for persons with severe epilepsy that has not responded to pharmacological treatment. Psychosocial and neuropsychological evaluation of eight patients who have received this surgical treatment suggests that patients who have an uncomplicated operative and postoperative course do not experience functionally significant intellectual, emotional, or social impairment. Limiting the operation to extraventricular division of the corpus callosum may significantly reduce postoperative morbidity. The authors suggest ethical guidelines which they believe should be carefully followed when epileptic patients are being considered for this type of surgery.