What is split brain surgery?

Split-brain surgery, or corpus callosotomy, is a surgical procedure that involves cutting the corpus callosum, a thick band of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

This surgery is typically performed to treat severe epilepsy that does not respond to other treatments. By cutting the corpus callosum, the surgeon can prevent the seizures from spreading from one hemisphere of the brain to the other, thus reducing their frequency and severity.

Split-brain surgery is a major surgical procedure that carries significant risks, including:

- Bleeding

- Infection

- Stroke

- Seizures

- Cognitive deficits

- Personality changes

However, for patients with severe epilepsy who have not responded to other treatments, split-brain surgery can offer significant benefits in terms of seizure control and improved quality of life.

After split-brain surgery, the two hemispheres of the brain function largely independently of each other.

This means that each hemisphere can process information and control movement on its own side of the body, but it cannot communicate with the other hemisphere. This can lead to some interesting effects, such as:

- The patient may be able to see an object with one eye, but not the other.

- The patient may be able to move their left hand, but not their right hand.

- The patient may be able to speak, but not understand what they are saying.

These effects are typically temporary and resolve as the brain heals. However, some patients may experience permanent cognitive deficits following split-brain surgery.