hemispherectomy

Hemispherectomy is a surgery that is performed by a neurosurgeon where an unhealthy hemisphere of the brain is disconnected or removed. There are two types: Functional hemispherectomy refers to a simple surgical disconnection of the diseased hemisphere so that it can no longer send signals to the rest of the brain and body. Anatomical hemispherectomy refers to actual physical removal of the diseased hemisphere from the skull. This surgery is mostly used as a treatment for medically intractable epilepsy, which is the term used when anti-seizure medications are unable to control seizures.

== History == The first anatomical hemispherectomy was performed and described in 1928 by the American Walter Dandy. This was done as an attempt to treat glioma, a brain tumor, and hemiplegia. The first known anatomical hemispherectomy performed as a treatment for intractable epilepsy was in 1938 by Kenneth McKenzie, a Canadian neurosurgeon. This marked a significant shift from tumor surgery toward the treatment of severe epilepsy.