Knowledge and attitudes of neurologists toward epilepsy surgery: an Italian survey

Abstract

The current study, conceived with the contribution of the Commission for Epilepsy Surgery of the Italian League Against Epilepsy (LICE) and the Epilepsy Study Group of the Italian Neurological Society (SIN), aimed to assess potential physician-related barriers to refer subjects for epilepsy surgery. All the members of SIN and LICE were invited by email to complete a 28-item online questionnaire. The survey items included: (1) individual and medical practice characteristics, (2) knowledge of current indications to select candidates for epilepsy surgery, (3) factors potentially affecting the attitude toward epilepsy surgery. Overall, 210 physicians completed the survey. More than half (63.3%) of the participants showed proper knowledge of the ILAE drug-resistance. Definition and almost two-thirds of them (71.9%) considered themselves adequately informed about indications, risks, and benefits of epilepsy surgery. Surgery was regarded as a valid option to be used as early as possible by 84.8% of the interviewees, and 71% of them estimated its complication rate to be low. However, more than half (63%) of the respondents reportedly referred patients for surgery only after the failure of 3–5 antiseizure medications. Overestimation of risks/complications of surgery and inadequate healthcare resources were identified as the main factor contrasting the patient referral for surgery by 43% and 40.5% of the participants, respectively. In conclusion, this survey confirms the existence of knowledge gap within both physicians and the healthcare system, as well as an educational need regarding epilepsy surgery. Further researches are warranted to define learning outcomes and optimize educational tools.