PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine and compare the waiting times for surgical assessment, neuropsychological testing and epilepsy surgery between people with epilepsy who live in cities with available neurologists vs not. METHODS We reviewed all cases referred for epilepsy surgery between 2007 and 2017 at the Saskatchewan Epilepsy Program Royal University Hospital (SEP) (n = 98; Saskatchewan, Canada). Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare wait times from first diagnosis of epilepsy to epilepsy surgery between patients who live in cities with neurologists (mainly urban areas) vs cities without neurologists (mainly rural areas). RESULTS The mean age of patients who enrolled in SEP was 37.8 ± 12.8 years. The median wait time from date of epilepsy diagnosis to referral was 9.5 years in Saskatoon and Regina (cities with available neurologists) and 14 years in other areas of Saskatchewan (small cities and rural areas with no available neurologists) (p = 0.03). The median wait time from date of epilepsy diagnosis to first consult with the epileptologist was 10 years in Saskatoon and Regina and 15.5 years in other areas of Saskatchewan (p = 0.03). The median wait time from date of first diagnosis to epilepsy surgery was 13.2 years in Saskatoon and Regina and 18.2 years in other areas of Saskatchewan (p = 0.05). CONCLUSION A notable difference was observed in surgical wait times between patients who live in cities with available neurologists compared with people living in rural areas and cities with no neurologists. This suggests that delayed surgical treatment for epilepsy is related with the availability of neurologists.

中文翻译：

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根据加拿大萨斯喀彻温省的居住地区，评估评估和癫痫手术的等待时间。

目的本研究的目的是确定和比较居住在有神经科医师和没有神经科医师的城市中的癫痫患者之间进行手术评估，神经心理学测试和癫痫手术的等待时间。方法我们回顾了2007年至2017年在萨斯喀彻温省癫痫病项目皇家大学医院（SEP）（n = 98;加拿大萨斯喀彻温省）进行癫痫手术的所有病例。Mann-Whitney U检验用于比较居住在有神经科医生的城市（主要是城市地区）与没有神经科医生的城市（主要是农村地区）之间的患者从首次诊断癫痫到癫痫手术的等待时间。结果参加SEP的患者的平均年龄为37.8±12.8岁。从癫痫诊断日期到转诊的平均等待时间为9。在萨斯卡通和里贾纳（有神经科医生的城市）为5年，在萨斯喀彻温省其他地区（无神​​经科专家的小城市和农村地区）为14年（p = 0.03）。从癫痫诊断日期到首次咨询癫痫医师的中位等待时间在萨斯卡通和里贾纳为10年，在萨斯喀彻温省其他地区为15.5年（p = 0.03）。在萨斯卡通和里贾纳，从首次确诊到癫痫手术的中位等待时间为13.2年，而萨斯喀彻温省其他地区的中位等待时间为18.2年（p = 0.05）。结论与有神经科医生的农村地区和城市相比，住在有神经科医生的城市患者的手术等待时间有显着差异。这表明对于癫痫的延迟外科治疗与神经科医生的可用性有关。