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Knowledge, Attitude and Barriers Towards Epilepsy Surgery: A Survey Among Pediatricians and Pediatric Residents In Turkey

Objectives: Advances in structural and functional neuroimaging, neurosurgery, and neuroanesthesia have improved the outcomes of surgery for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). The study aimed to assess knowledge and attitudes towards epilepsy surgery among pediatricians and identify the barriers. Methods: The study was conducted among 240 pediatricians from Turkey. Out of the 21 questions/statements, 20 were designed to be answered in a Likert-like scale and one question was open ended in survey in which items included the following: (A) knowledge about epilepsy surgery (B) attitude towards epilepsy surgery (C) barriers towards epilepsy surgery. Results: Pediatric residents have more inadequate knowledge of long term results of epilepsy surgery and also had less information about epilepsy surgery procedure than pediatricians. Nearly half (48.5 %) of respondents believed that epilepsy surgery prosedure is an expensive, long process whereas 25.8 % believed that it is not a safe. Most of them (97.5%) commended to counsel all epilepsy patients to pediatric neurologist if he/she is DRE but only half of participants (48 %) would refer DRE patients for epilepsy surgery. Half of the participants (57%) have not known where and when to refer people with DRE (Figure 1). Conclusion: This study focused on the views and decision-making processes of pediatricians considering referral of patients to epilepsy centers. An important finding was the apparent lack of knowledge referring patients and how this negatively effected physician’s views on epilepsy surgery. Pediatricians should be updated the referring at every step of the evaluation process.