Epilepsy occurs when the normal electric activity in the brain gets disrupted causing abnormal tastes and smells as well as convulsions, according to the American Academy of Neurology. Epilepsy can often be treated with medications, but for some patients, epilepsy surgery may be needed if the medications do not work. The goal of epilepsy surgery is to isolate or remove the section of the brain that is sending out the abnormal signals, according to MayoClinic.com. The complications of epilepsy surgery depend on the type of surgery and the location in the brain for the procedure.
Double Vision
The most common type of epilepsy surgery is the temporal lobectomy in which this portion of the brain is removed, according to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center website. Double vision is a complication that may occur after a temporal lobectomy, according to MayoClinic.com. This condition is often temporary and may improve over time.
Loss of Visual Field
Another possible complication of temporal lobe surgery is a loss of visual field, according to the University of California, San Diego Medical Center website. This vision loss may or may not be noticeable to the patient. Patients who undergo a hemispherectomy--the removal of the outer portion of one half of the brain--can also lose a portion of the visual field, according to MayfieldClinic.com.
Memory Problems
Patients may develop problems with memory after epilepsy surgery in the temporal lobe, according to MayoClinic.com. These patients may have difficulties remembering and saying certain words, and may have problems understanding when they are spoken to, as well.
Partial Paralysis
The removal of any portion of brain may cause weakness in the body due to nerve or brain damage, according to MayfieldClinic.com. Specifically, a common complication after a hemispherectomy is the development of movement problems on one side of the body. With intensive physical therapy, almost-normal function may return to the weakened side. For other patients, the weakness may be permanent.
Seizures
Although the goal of epilepsy surgery is to decrease the number of seizures that a patient has, some patients may experience an increase in seizures following the procedure, according to MayoClinic.com. After a corpus callosotomy in which the connections between the two sides of the brain are severed, a number of persons may have more seizures than they previously experienced; however, these seizures are typically not as severe.
