VOA标准英语2012--Study: Epilepsy Surgery Is Effective

Study: Epilepsy Surgery Is Effective

A new study of epilepsy patients who had surgery to treat their illness decades ago indicates that seizures¹ can be controlled safely and effectively with surgery.
The study's author suggests surgery could be used more often to treat epileptic seizures.
The story begins about 10 years ago, when neurosurgeon Matthew Smyth came to the Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, to focus on epilepsy surgery.
"And one of my predecessors², Dr. Sidney Goldring, used to perform these surgeries. And I inherited a large stack of three loose-leaf binders³ filled with about 350 records from his epilepsy surgery patients and realized that many of those patients could still be identified and located and interviewed."
Smyth and his colleagues tracked down about one-third of those patients who had epilepsy surgery between 1967 and 1990. After all those decades, about half the patients were still completely free of seizures.
Previous studies had similar results, but they followed patients for only for about five or ten years after surgery. "So the fact that it was durable⁴ and prolonged for 20, 30, even 40 years in some cases, was meaningful new information for us," Smyth said.
The patients were also asked to complete a 31-point quality of life questionnaire, and "about 80 percent of the patients had improved quality of life by this measurement tool that we used," he added.
Still, surgery - especially brain surgery - is a scary prospect⁵.
"As you can imagine, many families and patients are frightened by the idea of epilepsy surgery, or any kind of surgery. But again, with modern techniques, it's a very safe approach to these patients."
There are alternatives to surgery in a variety of anti-seizure drugs. But these drugs can have significant side effects, they're very expensive, and Smith says that in about one-third of patients, they just don't work.

1 seizures   

n.起获( seizure的名词复数 )；没收；充公；起获的赃物

参考例句：

• Seizures of illicit drugs have increased by 30% this year. 今年违禁药品的扣押增长了30%。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Other causes of unconsciousness predisposing to aspiration lung abscess are convulsive seizures. 造成吸入性肺脓肿昏迷的其他原因，有惊厥发作。 来自辞典例句

2 predecessors   

n.前任( predecessor的名词复数 )；前辈；（被取代的）原有事物；前身

参考例句：

• The new government set about dismantling their predecessors' legislation. 新政府正着手废除其前任所制定的法律。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Will new plan be any more acceptable than its predecessors? 新计划比原先的计划更能令人满意吗？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 binders   

n.（司机行话）刹车器；（书籍的）装订机( binder的名词复数 )；（购买不动产时包括预付订金在内的）保证书；割捆机；活页封面

参考例句：

• Propellant binders based on these materials have excellent mechanical properties and good performance. 用这些材料制成的推进粘结剂的工作性能很好，而机械性能则更为突出。 来自辞典例句
• The and inferior binders fabrication process has become much more important. 黏合剂制作工艺优劣显得更加重要。 来自互联网

4 durable   

adj.持久的，耐久的

参考例句：

• This raincoat is made of very durable material.这件雨衣是用非常耐用的料子做的。
• They frequently require more major durable purchases.他们经常需要购买耐用消费品。

5 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。