Quality of life after epilepsy surgery Deepak Lachhwani, MB.BS, MD Cleveland Clinic Introduction For varying length of time, everyone here in this room has lived the “quality of life” after surgery. As members of the medical community our insight on this topic would never be as personal and penetrating as yours is already. In that regard, you are the more correct choice to be up here at the podium, while I should trade places and listen to your thoughts instead. In the next few minutes, I hope that my comments would evoke one or more of the three responses from you: *I know exactly what you are talking about, I have personal experience *A..haa…I never quite put my thoughts in such words, but it makes sense *I feel better informed now, more than before – that while the immediate goal is to stop seizures, epilepsy surgery has far reaching ramifications and I feel comfortable in sharing some of these thoughts with the next family I meet who are contemplating a surgical treatment for their child. Each one of you has a strong advocate within yourselves, to pursue the option of brain surgery – given the right circumstance of course! For no other reason except that you have ‘been there and done that’. We hope that these last few minutes of today’s morning session would serve you and encourage you to persist in speaking up for our mutually shared belief that every child with seizures deserves a chance.