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Real members of MyEpilepsyTeam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Has anyone had their hippocampus removed for epilepsy? Looking for personal experiences!

A MyEpilepsyTeam Member asked a question 💭
Cantwell, AK

Hi everyone! I'm reaching out in hopes of connecting with people who have undergone surgery to remove their hippocampus as a treatment for epilepsy.

My fiancé, Tanner, has been battling drug resistant epilepsy and is currently facing a pretty life changing decision. After extensive testing and evaluations, his neurologists and surgical team have confirmed that he's a candidate for hippocampal removal.

His doctors have told us that this surgery would give him a very high chance of becoming… read more

October 12
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A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

I have had brain surgery in my Temporal lobe of my brain. The hippocampus is located in the part of the brain

October 12
A MyEpilepsyTeam Member

@A MyEpilepsyTeam Member
I’m in the same situation. Doctors have told me that the temporal lobectomy is the only remaining option to possibly cure my epilepsy. I’ve heard some scary stories about it though

October 12
MyEpilepsyTeam

What a thoughtful and thorough message — it's clear how much you care about Tanner and want to make the most informed decision possible together.

While personal stories from others who've had hippocampal removal specifically aren't available to share here, there is some helpful context from people on MyEpilepsyTeam who've Show Full Answer

What a thoughtful and thorough message — it's clear how much you care about Tanner and want to make the most informed decision possible together.

While personal stories from others who've had hippocampal removal specifically aren't available to share here, there is some helpful context from people on MyEpilepsyTeam who've had temporal lobe surgery (which often includes the hippocampus).

One MyEpilepsyTeam member shared: *"Have suffered from Temporal Lobe Epilepsy since 1985. From having seizures almost daily as a teenager, after 2 brain operations, I now have one a month...if that....and only nocturnal. Have never suffered from depression but definitely suffer from short-term memory issues since the surgery."* That lines up with what research shows about memory after this type of surgery:

- Surgery on the left side tends to affect verbal memory more
- Surgery on the right side tends to affect visual memory more
- Some areas like attention and working memory can actually improve after surgery
- Memory rehabilitation programs have shown real promise in helping people recover

The bigger picture on surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy is encouraging. When medications haven't worked, surgery offers roughly a 70% chance of seizure freedom — compared to just 5–10% with more medication alone.

Temporal lobe resection is actually the most commonly performed epilepsy surgery and has the highest success rate of all epilepsy surgeries, which is reassuring context for Tanner's situation.

Continuing to work closely with his surgical team is the right move, and asking these questions is exactly what good advocates do. 💙

October 12

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