OVERVIEW

The Role of SEEG After Failed Epilepsy Surgery: When, Why and How is organized by Cleveland Clinic and will be held from Sep 10 - 13, 2025 at Hilton Garden Inn Cleveland Downtown, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America.

Overview:
Medically refractory epilepsy remains one of the most complex and debilitating neurological disorders to manage. While surgical resection can achieve long-term seizure control in 60–80% of patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and 40–60% with extratemporal epilepsy, a substantial number of patients continue to experience seizures following surgery. These post-surgical failures represent a uniquely challenging clinical population, where therapeutic options are limited, and decision-making becomes increasingly nuanced.

This course centers on the critical role of SEEG in the re-evaluation and management of patients with failed epilepsy surgery. Since seizure recurrence significantly diminishes quality of life and increases the risk of morbidity, mortality, cognitive decline, and psychosocial complications, identifying the best path forward for these patients is of paramount importance.

Through expert-led lectures, interactive case discussions, and immersive hands-on SEEG analysis workshops, this course aims to define the most effective, evidence-informed approaches to reassess and treat patients who have not achieved seizure freedom after an initial surgical attempt.

Participants will explore how to integrate multimodal data - including seizure semiology, neuroimaging, electrophysiology, neuropathology, and genetics - into a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic strategy. Particular emphasis will be placed on refining hypotheses for SEEG implantation, interpreting complex SEEG and cortical stimulation data, and determining when reoperation, neuromodulation, or alternative therapies may be most appropriate. Attendees will gain practical tools and clinical frameworks to support multidisciplinary decision-making and improve outcomes in this high-risk population.

Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Define the clinical, anatomical, electrophysiological, and genetic mechanisms that may contribute to the failure of epilepsy surgery.
Describe the role of SEEG in the diagnostic re-evaluation of patients with failed epilepsy surgery and its implications for treatment planning.
Implement a multimodal approach—incorporating imaging, neurophysiology, semiology, and pathology - to reassess and localize seizure onset.
Design individualized, comprehensive management plans for patients who are not candidates for traditional resective surgery.