Burr Hole Hemispherotomy—Modification of Trans-Sylvian Peri-Insular Technique: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Abstract

Trans-sylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy represents a functional hemispherectomy with minimal brain removal used for treatment of refractory hemispheric epilepsy. 1 Exposure for this procedure is achieved by craniotomy. Refinement in the hemispherotomy technique, including trends toward minimizing cortical resection, has contributed to a substantial drop in complication rates. 2 We present a refinement of this technique, allowing for complete hemispheric disconnection through a single burr hole. In this instance, this technique was applied in the case of a 4-year-old girl who presented with medically refractory epilepsy, which had developed on the first day of life due to a perinatal incomplete left middle cerebral artery stroke. Postoperatively, the patient experienced no worsening of her preexisting right-sided hemiparesis and remains seizure-free 18 months postoperatively, now off medication. While the trans-sylvian peri-insular hemispherotomy represents an established surgical technique, this is the first report of this procedure performed in a minimally invasive fashion through a single burr hole. Beyond the minimal incision and small aperture in the skull, seldom appreciated nuances of hemispheric disconnection are described and demonstrated, including amygdala disconnection, hippocampal tail disconnection directly into splenium disconnection, concomitant intermediate disconnection and callosotomy, and frontobasal disconnection landmarks. Consent was obtained from the patient's parents for the surgical procedure, use of outcome videos, and for publication of this video and associated materials. The participants and patient's parents consented to publication of their images and that of the patient.