Antiepileptic medications in neurosurgical practice

Abstract

One of the earliest medical disorders to be identified is epilepsy. Strange and diverse forms of therapy have been used throughout history. A cure has not been found despite the popularity of ointments, medications, magic, enemas, exorcism, spiritualism, surgical and physical, as well as behavioural therapies. There is a notable deficiency of current literature about the management of seizures and epilepsy in neurosurgical patients, despite the fact that neurosurgeons are enrolled in the prescription of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for the seizures especially in perioperative periods. Neurosurgeons scope of management of epilepsy usually involve patients with either traumatic brain injury, neoplasms, subarachnoid haemorrhages, and brain abscess and infection. Depending on when they began, post-craniotomy seizures are categorised into three categories: promptly (before 24 h), early (before 1 week), and late (after 1 week). One-third of seizures can occur within the first month after a craniotomy, usually within the first 3 days, even though the risk of seizures persists for several post-operative months. There are multiple generations of AEDs, and further research is required to settle a clear recommendation for each and every case of seizures especially for hard population like the neurosurgical patients.