Limbic status epilepticus was induced by means of a KA microinjection into unilateral amygdala, and the focus extirpation (amygdalotomy) was made in order to examine whether the status was suppressed or not. The amygdalotomy was effective when the status was mild and the focus was circumscribed to the amygdala. However, the surgery was no more effective when a severe limbic status was induced and a secondary epileptogenic focus was established. Within 8 hours after induction of the limbic status, neuronal cell damage was observed in the pyramidal cell layer of the hippocampus.