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Watila MM, Xiao F, Keezer MR, Miserocchi A, Winkler AS, McEvoy AW, Sander JW. Epilepsy surgery in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review. Epilepsy Behav 2019; 92:311-326. [PMID: 30738248 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2018] [Revised: 01/01/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epilepsy surgery is an important treatment option for people with drug-resistant epilepsy. Surgical procedures for epilepsy are underutilized worldwide, but it is far worse in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), and it is less clear as to what extent people with drug-resistant epilepsy receive such treatment at all. Here, we review the existing evidence for the availability and outcome of epilepsy surgery in LMIC and discuss some challenges and priority. METHODS We used an accepted six-stage methodological framework for scoping reviews as a guide. We searched PubMed, Embase, Global Health Archives, Index Medicus for South East Asia Region (IMSEAR), Index Medicus for Eastern Mediterranean Region (IMEMR), Latin American & Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), African Journal Online (AJOL), and African Index Medicus (AIM) to identify the relevant literature. RESULTS We retrieved 148 articles on epilepsy surgery from 31 countries representing 22% of the 143 LMIC. Epilepsy surgery appears established in some of these centers in Asia and Latin America while some are in their embryonic stage reporting procedures in a small cohort performed mostly by motivated neurosurgeons. The commonest surgical procedure reported was temporal lobectomies. The postoperative seizure-free rates and quality of life (QOL) are comparable with those in the high-income countries (HIC). Some models have shown that epilepsy surgery can be performed within a resource-limited setting through collaboration with international partners and through the use of information and communications technology (ICT). The cost of surgery is a fraction of what is available in HIC. CONCLUSION This review has demonstrated the availability of epilepsy surgery in a few LMIC. The information available is inadequate to make any reasonable conclusion of its existence as routine practice. Collaborations with international partners can provide an opportunity to bring high-quality academic training and technological transfer directly to surgeons working in these regions and should be encouraged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa M Watila
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter SL9 0RJ, UK; Neurology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, PMB 1414, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria
| | - Fenglai Xiao
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Department of Neurology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China; Magnetic Resonance Imaging Unit, Epilepsy Society, Gerrards Cross, UK
| | - Mark R Keezer
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter SL9 0RJ, UK; Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM), Hôpital Notre-Dame, Montréal, Québec H2L 4M1, Canada; Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Achterweg 5, 2103 SW Heemstede, Netherlands
| | - Anna Miserocchi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Andrea S Winkler
- Centre for Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Kirkeveien 166, 0450 Oslo, Norway; Center for Global Health, Department of Neurology, Technical University of Munich, Ismaninger Strasse 22, 81675 Munich, Germany
| | - Andrew W McEvoy
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Department of Neurosurgery, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK
| | - Josemir W Sander
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London WC1N 3BG, UK; Chalfont Centre for Epilepsy, Chalfont St Peter SL9 0RJ, UK; Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), Achterweg 5, 2103 SW Heemstede, Netherlands.
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Bridging the Gap between Evidence and Practice for Adults with Medically Refractory Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Is a Change in Funding Policy Needed to Stimulate a Shift in Practice? EPILEPSY RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2015; 2015:675071. [PMID: 26770822 PMCID: PMC4685103 DOI: 10.1155/2015/675071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Objective. Surgery for medically refractory epilepsy (MRE) in adults has been shown to be effective but underutilized. Comprehensive health economic evaluations of surgery compared with continued medical management are limited. Policy changes may be necessary to influence practice shift. Methods. A critical review of the literature on health economic analyses for adults with MRE was conducted. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CRD, and EconLit databases were searched using relevant subject headings and keywords pertaining to adults, epilepsy, and health economic evaluations. The screening was conducted independently and in duplicate. Results. Four studies were identified (1 Canadian, 2 American, and 1 French). Two were cost-utility analyses and 2 were cost-effectiveness evaluations. Only one was conducted after the effectiveness of surgery was established through a randomized trial. All suggested surgery to be favorable in the medium to long term (7-8 years and beyond). The reduction of medication use was the major cost-saving parameter in favor of surgery. Conclusions. Although updated evaluations that are more generalizable across settings are necessary, surgery appears to be a favorable option from a health economic perspective. Given the limited success of knowledge translation endeavours, funder-level policy changes such as quality-based purchasing may be necessary to induce a shift in practice.
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Mansouri A, Ibrahim GM. Moving forward together: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery report and its implications for neurosurgical procedures. Br J Neurosurg 2015; 29:751-2. [PMID: 26485245 DOI: 10.3109/02688697.2015.1100269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Mansouri
- a Division of Neurosurgery University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
| | - George M Ibrahim
- b Division of Neurosurgery University of Toronto , Toronto , Canada
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