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Multidisciplinary team meetings: the epilepsy experience
  1. John S Duncan
  1. Department of Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Prof John S Duncan, Department of Epilepsy, UCL Queen Square Instiute of Neurology and National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK; j.duncan{at}ucl.ac.uk

Abstract

Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are essential for ensuring optimal and consistent management for patients with complex problems and a variety of treatment options. Epilepsy surgery MDTs are a good example of complex decision making and planning to the best possible outcomes. The meetings need to run to an agreed format, with participants from neurology, neurophysiology, neuroimaging, neuropsychology, neuropsychiatry and neurosurgery all contributing succinct opinions to enable an informed discussion. A key feature of a successful MDT is to have a clear record of complementary data and perspectives, and to document management options. It is crucial to have a debrief after the event if an outcome is less good than anticipated, with the case being gone through in as much detail as a preoperative case, and ensuring that the whole team shares the successes and the disappointments and learns from the experience.

  • Epilepsy
  • Surgery

Data availability statement

Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study.

https://doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2022-003350

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    Data availability statement

    Data sharing not applicable as no datasets generated and/or analysed for this study.

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    Footnotes

    • Collaborators I am grateful to all my colleagues who contribute to the Queen Square Epilepsy Surgery MDT.

    • Contributors JSD is the sole author of this article.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Provenance and peer review. Commissioned. Externally peer reviewed by Chris Kipps, Southampton, UK, and Wim Van Paesschen, Leuven, Belgium.