Focal Cooling Devices for the Surgical Treatment of Epilepsy

Focal cooling may provide a safe, nondestructive alternative to resective and disconnective strategies that have been proposed or used to control refractory epilepsy. Observations of the effects of direct application of iced saline on the cortical surface during cortical mapping surgery and induced seizures have led to interest in developing implantable cooling therapy devices for refractory localizable epilepsies. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the historical background, physiology, and animal and human data leading to the development of implantable cooling devices for the treatment of medically refractory epilepsy.