Responses to the knowledge section.
| Statements | n (%) |
|---|---|
| What is the approximate percentage of patients who experience clinically significant (i.e., disabling) and permanent adverse effects after anterior temporal lobectomy? | |
| <5% (correct answer) | 38 (35.8) |
| 5-10% | 33 (31.1) |
| 11-50% | 3 (2.8) |
| >50% | 1 (0.9) |
| I don’t know | 31 (29.2) |
| Is there a general agreement on the definition of drug-resistant epilepsy? | |
| Yes (correct answer) | 79 (74.5) |
| No / I don’t know | 27 (25.5) |
| In general, how many trials of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) should be tried before considering the diagnosis of drug resistant epilepsy? | |
| Failure of seizure control after 1 AED | 1 (0.9) |
| Failure of seizure control after 2 AEDs (correct answer) | 70 (66) |
| Failure of seizure control after >3 AEDs | 34 (32.1) |
| Failure of all approved AEDs | 1 (0.9) |
| I don’t know | 0 (0) |
| In general, how many AEDs would you try (assuming an adequate trial at an adequate dose) before referring a patient who remains drug resistant for consideration of epilepsy surgery? | |
| Failure of seizure control after 1 AED | 1 (0.9) |
| Failure of seizure control after 2 AEDs (correct answer) | 53 (50) |
| Failure of seizure control after >3 AEDs | 49 (46) |
| Failure of all approved AEDs | 2 (1.9) |
| I don’t know | 1 (0.9) |
| For how long does a patient have to be drug resistant before you consider referral for epilepsy surgery evaluation? | |
| As early as possible (correct answer) | 50 (47.2) |
| 3 months - 1 year | 42 (39.6) |
| 2 - 5 years | 10 (9.4) |
| > 5 years | 0 (0) |
| No one should be referred for epilepsy surgery | 0 (0) |
| I don’t know | 4 (3.8) |
| Patients with focal epilepsy and a normal MRI may benefit from epilepsy surgery. | |
| Yes (correct answer) | 89 (84) |
| No or I don’t know | 17 (16) |
| Patients with generalized (non-focal) epilepsies are not candidates for epilepsy surgery. | |
| Yes or I don’t know | 40 (37.7) |
| No (correct answer) | 66 (62.3) |
| Patients with a developmental delay are not candidates for epilepsy surgery. | |
| Yes or I don’t know | 15 (14.2) |
| No (correct answer) | 91 (85.8) |
| Patients with psychiatric comorbidities are not candidates for epilepsy surgery. | |
| Yes or I don’t know | 24 (22.6) |
| No (correct answer) | 82 (77.4) |
| Patients with epileptic encephalopathies are not candidates for epilepsy surgery. | |
| Yes or I don’t know | 34 (32.1) |
| No (correct answer) | 72 (67.9) |
| Which one of the following is the most common neurological complication of epilepsy surgery? | |
| Aphasia | 10 (9.4) |
| Visual field loss (correct answer) | 27 (25.5) |
| Paralysis | 11 (10.4) |
| Memory loss | 46 (43.4) |
| I don’t know | 12 (11.3) |