The Fundamentals of Stereoelectroencephalography

After becoming an INSERM (Paris) researcher, Pr. Chauvel began his work in experimental and later clinical research into the mechanisms of the epilepsies. Under the mentorship of Talairach and Bancaud at Hopital Sainte-Anne, Paris, he developed SEEG (StereoElectroEncephalography) as a presurgical method in epilepsy surgery. His research work has been devoted to the neurophysiology of the epileptogenic zone, emergence of seizure clinical semiology in relation to intracerebral recording, and cerebral cortex physiology. He has promoted the concept of epileptogenic network over the classical epileptic focus idea, and opened new vistas in markers of the epileptogenic zone and pathophysiology of frontal epilepsies. Pr. Chauvel served as the Director of the SEEG Unit in Hôpital Sainte-Anne in Paris (1986-1990), then Professor and Chairman of Neurology in Rennes (1990-1997) where he configured a new type of Epilepsy Unit including research, then Professor and Chairman of Clinical Neurophysiology and Director of the INSERM Institute of Systems Neuroscience in Marseille (1997-2014). In 2014, he relocated to the Epilepsy Center of the Cleveland Clinic, in order to promote the development of presurgical investigation using SEEG in North America. He is the author of 250 original articles in international journals and is a member of several Scientific and Medical Societies, both French and International. He has been elected as a Member of the Belgian Royal Academy of Medicine.

Jorge Álvaro González Martínez, MD, PhD, FAANS, is a board-certified neurosurgeon specialized in epilepsy and functional neurosurgery and Tenure Professor in Neurological Surgery and Neurobiology at University of Pittsburgh. He serves as the Director of Epilepsy and Movement Disorders Surgery and is the co-director of the Epilepsy Center at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. He is the current Vice-Chair of the department of Neurological Surgery and the Stuart Niles Rowe Endowed Chair in Epilepsy Surgery. Dr. González Martínez is a world-renowned surgeon/scientist with an extensive publication record, having authored over 300 peer-reviewed articles book chapters and patents focused on epilepsy surgery and advanced brain mapping techniques for patients with medically intractable epilepsy and movement disorders. Dr. González Martínez's legacy is etched in his pioneering contributions to surgical innovation. He spearheaded the introduction of modern conceptual and surgical facets of the Stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) methodology to the United States, heralding a paradigm shift in epilepsy surgery. By replacing antiquated techniques with state-of-the-art stereotaxic approaches, he has revolutionized surgical strategies, thereby elevating the standard of care and transforming the landscape of epilepsy surgery both domestically and abroad. His expertise spans a gamut of surgical modalities, encompassing stereotaxic anatomy applied to SEEG, SEEG-guided laser ablations, neuromodulatory interventions, and robotic-assisted surgeries, all of which underscore his commitment to excellence in patient care. Beyond the operating theater, Dr. González Martínez's scholarly pursuits traverse the realms of neuro-electrophysiology, intracranial signal processing, and behavioral neuroscience. Through synergistic amalgamation of clinical and basic science endeavors, he endeavors to forge safer and more effective treatment modalities, aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and ameliorating the burdens imposed by debilitating seizures. His research activities, rooted in the University of Pittsburgh Cortical System Lab, have received generous support from prestigious funding bodies such as the NIH and NSF, underscoring the translational impact of his endeavors on the broader scientific community.

Aileen McGonigal is a Senior Staff Specialist in Neurology at Mater Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. She is a UK neurology-trained specialist with extensive experience gained in Marseille, France, an internationally renowned medical centre in epileptology and EEG, including stereo-EEG. She is board-certified in neurology in Australia, France and the UK. Her main research interests include topics in seizure semiology and its neural correlates based on stereo-EEG, on which she has written and lectured internationally. She is Editor-in-Chief of the Elsevier journal Neurophysiologie Clinique / Clinical Neurophysiology (NCCN), the official academic journal of the French Society of Clinical Neurophysiology. She is an active member of the International League Against Epilepsy, helping translate epilepsy research into improved patient care worldwide.

Dr. McKhann is Professor of Neurological Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center/New York Presbyterian Hospital, where he is Director of Epilepsy Surgery and co-Director of the Division of Neuro-Oncology. He has over 25 years of experience at CUIMC/NYP, combining clinical skill and compassionate care to maximize patient outcomes. He is a member of both the Columbia P&S Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators and the P&S Academy of Clinical Excellence. His areas of particular technical expertise include epilepsy surgery; awake and asleep brain mapping; brain tumor surgery, in particular low and high grade glioma and brain metastasis surgery; and stereotactic laser ablation for epilepsy and tumors. Dr. McKhann also works as a translational neuroscientist, directing the Epilepsy Neurophysiology Laboratory.