Oh, what a time to be alive in the world of pediatric neurosurgery! In a groundbreaking retrospective study that will surely have us all on the edge of our seats, researchers have bravely ventured into the unknown to answer the age-old question: Can we stick electrodes in the brains of toddlers with the same finesse as we do in older kids? Spoiler alert: Yes, we can!

Between July 2018 and August 2022, our intrepid scientists gathered 88 young guinea pigs—I mean, patients—who underwent a whopping 99 robot-assisted SEEG procedures. These mini humans were split into three groups: the “terrible twos” (and younger), the “threenagers,” and the “wise old sages” over six. They then crunched some numbers, played around with an average of 6.82 electrodes per brain, and marveled at their handiwork with an average target point error that would make even a seasoned dart player jealous.

But wait, there’s more! The overall complication rate was a mere 6.06%, which is probably lower than the odds of a toddler having a meltdown in a supermarket. And, hold your applause, there were zero severe or long-term neurologic impairments. Take that, brain surgery naysayers!

After all the poking and prodding, 78 of these procedures led to first-time epilepsy surgery, with a few repeat customers and a sprinkle of radiofrequency thermocoagulation for good measure. And, in a twist that will shock absolutely no one, the Engel class I outcomes were pretty much the same across all age groups. It’s like toddlers’ brains are just as good as older kids’ brains for this sort of thing—who knew?

So, in conclusion, robot-assisted SEEG is safe, accurate, and efficient for children of all ages, including those adorable little tykes under three. It’s a brave new world, folks, and our robot overlords are here to guide us through it, one electrode at a time.