Patient story

Janet's epilepsy surgery journey

This Houston Methodist video follows Janet through the path of epilepsy surgery, from seizure mapping with sEEG to temporal lobectomy and seizure freedom.

What this story helps explain

  • -Why surgical evaluation matters when medications are not enough
  • -How sEEG can guide a safer, more precise operation
  • -How temporal lobectomy fits into the epilepsy surgery pathway

Houston Methodist patient story

Janet's path through epilepsy surgery

This Houston Methodist feature follows Janet through the pathway many patients want to understand: evaluation for uncontrolled seizures, sEEG monitoring, temporal lobectomy, and seizure freedom.

1Drug-resistant seizures
2sEEG seizure mapping
3Temporal lobectomy
4Seizure freedom

Individual results vary. A patient story can show the process, but it cannot predict whether surgery is right for another person.

Understanding the pathway

Janet's story is powerful because it shows the sequence behind epilepsy surgery, not just the operation itself. For patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, the first question is whether seizures can be localized accurately and whether treatment can be offered safely.

sEEG can help answer that question when non-invasive testing is not enough. If the seizure onset zone is well defined and can be treated without unacceptable risk, temporal lobectomy or another resective epilepsy surgery may offer the possibility of major seizure reduction or seizure freedom.

Every case is different. Some patients are candidates for resection or laser ablation, while others are better served by neuromodulation such as RNS, VNS, or DBS. The purpose of evaluation is to match the treatment to the patient's seizure anatomy, goals, and risks.