Table of Contents

Contributors.Foreword by Giuliano Avanzini.Preface to the Second Edition.Preface to the First Edition.The drug treatment of epilepsy between 1938-1955, with special reference to Epilepsia the Journal of the International League Against Epilepsy.Section 1: Introduction.1. Definitions and classifications of epilepsy.2. Epidemiology and prognosis of epilepsy and its treatment.3. Sudden death in epilepsy.4. Aetiology of epilepsy.5. Differential diagnosis of epilepsy.6. Mechanisms of epileptogenesis.7. Mechanisms of drug resistence in epilespy.8. Antiepileptic drug discovery.9. Mechanisms of antiepileptic drug action.10. Drug interactions in epilepsy.Section 2: Principles of Medical Treatment.11. General principles of medical treatment.12. Management of newly diagnosed epilepsy.13. Management of epilepsy in remission.14. Management of epilepsy in infants.15 Management of epilepsy in children.16. Management of epilepsy in the elderly person.17. Management of epilepsy in people with learning disability.18. Emergency treatment of seizures and status epilepticus.19. Treatment of epilepsy in general medical conditions.20. Treatment of psychiatric disorders in epilepsy.21. The ketogenic diet.22. Complementary and alternative treatments in epilepsy.23. Reproductive aspects of epilepsy treatment.24. Genetic counselling in epilepsy.25. Diagnosis and treatment of non-epileptic seizures.Section 3: Drugs used in the Treatment of Epilepsy.26. The choice of drugs and approach to drug treatment in epilepsy.27. Acetazolamide.28. Carbamazepine.29. Clobazam.30. Clonazepam.31. Short-acting and other benzodiazepines.32. Ethosuximide.33. Felbamate.34. Fosphenytoin.35. Gabapentin.36. Lamotrigine.37. Levetiracetam.38. Oxcarbazepine.39. Phenobarbital, primidone and other barbiturates.40. Phenytoin.41. Piracetam.42. Pregabalin.43. Rufinamide.44. Tiagabine.45. Topiramate.46. Valproate.47. Vigabatrin.48. Zonisamide.49. Other drugs more rarely used in the treatment of epilepsy.50. Antiepileptic drugs used in clinical trials.Section 4: Presurgical Evaluation of Epilepsy and Epilepsy Surgery .51. Introduction to epilepsy surgery and its Presurgical Assessment.52. Scalp EEG in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.53. Invasive EEG in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.54. MEG in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.55. MRI in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.56. PET and SPECT in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.57. New physiological and radiological investigations in the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.58. Psychological testing in presurgical evaluation of epilepsy.59. The role of psychiatric assessment in presurgical evaluation.60. Surgery of hippocampal sclerosis.61. Resective surgery of neoplastic lesions for epilepsy.62. Resective surgery of vascular and infective lesions for epilepsy.63. Surgery of cortical dysgenesis for epilepsy.64. Surgery of post-traumatic epilepsy.65. Paediatric epilepsy surgery.66. Hemispherectomy for epilepsy.67. Corpus callosum section for epilepsy.68. Multiple subpial transection for epilepsy.69. Awake operations for epilepsy.70. Stereotactic surgery for epilepsy.71. Complications of epilepsy surgery.72. Anaesthesia for epilepsy surgery.73. Vagal nerve stimulation.74. Future surgical approaches to epilepsy.Index

Reviews

"The four distinguished editors...deserve to be warmly congratulated on the production of this book...highly recommended...beautifully printed. It is a major contribution to the literature on epilepsy." BRAIN"I commend this book. I think it is a splendid achievement and I congratulate the authors, the editors and the publishers." British Journal of Neurosurgery "...outstandingly successful...this is a fine book written by the experts..." LANCET The second edition of the treatment of Epilepsy is a vital contribution to the field. The book's primary focus is on the medical and surgical evaluation and treatment of the disease. Experts around the globe who have made seminal contributions to the treatment of epilepsy have contributed to the book, which preserves its flow and focus extremely well. The bibliographies are detailed and up to date, and the color plates deserve special mention for their clarity and the quality of their images. The first section focuses on general principles in the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of epilepsy. In this section, the clinically relevant basic science of epileptology and data related to the discovery of drugs are also explored. The second section discusses principles of medical evaluation and treatment of patients with epilepsy in a variety of clinical settings: newly diagnosed disease, onset in infancy or childhood, epilepsy in elderly or cognitively impaired patients, and status epilepticus. This section also evaluates a variety of other medical conditions that may influence the management of epilepsy. The third section describes medications that are used for treatment. One of the section's attractive aspects is a table on the first page of every chapter hat lists the salient features of the drugs - indications for use, conventional doses in children and adults, common and serious side effects, and clinically relevant drug interactions and pharmacokinetics. These tables are extremely helpful as a quick reference. A useful supplement to this section is a chapter on ongoing clinical development and trials of 11 new agents with respect to their safety and efficacy as antiepileptic drugs. The fourth section focuses on the presurgical evaluation and surgical treatment of epilepsy. It comprehensively discusses the principles of presurgical evaluation, the usefulness and indications for various established and new imaging techniques, and the selection of candidates for surgery. Various surgical techniques in a variety of clinical settings are discussed, along with outcome data and complications. The book is set in a relatively small font, which adds to the density of material that is presented on every page. To keep its focus, the book avoids details about clinical syndromes and electroencephalographic features in epilepsy, so readers will have a better grasp of the substance of the book if they are equipped with a fundamental knowledge of these areas. This book is highly recommended and is a solid reference for anybody who is involved in the evaluation and medical care of patients with epilepsy. Ajay Gupta, M.D. Elaine Wyllie, M.D. Cleveland Clinic Foundation Cleveland, OH 44195