Emergency Surgery for Refractory Status Epilepticus.

BACKGROUND: Management of refractory status epilepticus in children is extremely challenging. CASE CHARACTERISTICS: Two children with medically refractory status epilepticus, both of whom had lesional pathology on MRI and concordant data on EEG and PET scan. INTERVENTION: Emergency hemispherotomy performed in both patients. A complete, sustained seizure freedom obtained postoperatively. MESSAGE: Emergency surgery is a treatment option in selected cases of drug refractory status epilepticus with lesional pathology and concordant data.