A collaboration for diagnosing and treating epilepsy patients has been in place between the Epilepsy Center Erlangen (Prof. Hamer), the University Medical Centre Ljubljana (Dr. Lorber) and the Department of Neurosurgery at AKH Vienna (Prof. Rössler) since 2002. The collaboration allows Slovenian patients with treatment-refractory focal epilepsy to undergo pre-surgical diagnosis (including invasive monitoring) in Erlangen. An interdisciplinary team evaluates surgical options and conducts the surgery itself in consultation with the other partners. The costs for the treatment are covered by the Ministry of Health in Slovenia.

Treating focal epilepsy that does not respond to anti-seizure drugs with surgery can lead to seizure-free rates of up to 50%, possibly even more depending on the epilepsy syndrome. After completing pre-surgical diagnostics, epilepsy surgery can always be recommended if the chances of a patient becoming free from seizures after the surgery are high and the risk of incurring post-operative neurological deficits is low. Between 2002 and 2021, 171 Slovenian patients came to us for monitoring, and 112 patients received surgery. A total of 32 of these patients required invasive EEG monitoring with implanted depth electrodes prior to the operation. 50% of the patients who received surgery were completely free from seizures after the operation, and 63% of patients were free from debilitating seizures afterwards. For 68%, the operation contributed to a worthwhile improvement in their situation regarding seizures. The outcome of the patients we examined and treated within the framework of the international collaboration is therefore on the same level as patients treated exclusively at internationally leading epilepsy centers.