Intractable Epilepsy: When to Refer, Who to Refer, and What Work Up is Needed?

Ahmad Marashly, medical director of the pediatric epilepsy surgery program, discusses the role of epilepsy surgery in managing patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. About 70% of patients with epilepsy will respond to one or two antiseizure medications and maintain long-term seizure freedom. Patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy should consider epilepsy surgery. Johns Hopkins has one of the few epilepsy centers in the country that can evaluate and perform surgery for these patients.