text_1: First test of anti-epilepsy surgeries in children shows dramatic benefit
text_2: This article describes results of a randomized trial of neurosurgical procedures designed to eliminate seizures in children under 18 years of age whose epilepsy is resistant to drug therapy. Importantly, the story notes significant side effects attributable to the surgeries, and the struggle to receive insurance coverage. Yet, readers will likely want more information about the study–for example, how old the children were, and what kind of neurosurgery they had. Editor’s note: After initial publication of this review, we changed the rating under Quantify Benefits from Not Satisfactory to Satisfactory. The star rating was changed from 3 stars to 4 stars. This also affected the headline, which we have since updated. See the related criterion below. Surgical approaches to intractable seizure disorders — with some children and adults experiencing hundreds of significant seizures a day — have been shown to improve quality of life and maintain cognitive health, particularly in young children for whom brain plasticity is stronger than in adults. Thus, clinical trials to better clarify both the benefits and the harms of such surgeries worldwide are important in improving the evidence base for these procedures.