Takeaway
A machine learning model based on the 19-point Epilepsy Surgery Satisfaction Questionnaire (ESSQ-19) can be used to predict patient satisfaction with epilepsy surgery.
Factors influencing satisfaction included self-perceived epilepsy disability, quality of life, seizure freedom, and reduction in anti-seizure medication requirements.
Why this matters
Around one in three patients with epilepsy do not respond to anti-seizure medications and are therefore considered to have drug-resistant epilepsy. Surgery is often successfully used in these patients, but there is a proportion (between 27 and 66%) who will not achieve long-term seizure freedom.
Neurosurgical intervention is a serious undertaking, and it is important to understand which patients will benefit most and be satisfied with their decision to undergo surgery post-operatively.
ESSQ-19 is an instrument used to assess patient satisfaction following epilepsy surgery. It is possible that the same instrument could be used predict patient satisfaction prior to undertaking surgery.