Epilepsy is a chronic central nervous system (neurological) disorder that causes seizures or periods of unusual behavior and may sometimes be associated with alteration or loss of awareness. Epilepsy can develope at any age regardless of gender or ethnicity.
An epileptic seizure is an event of altered brain function during which brain activity becomes abnormal. The two main categories of epileptic seizures are focal seizures and generalized seizures; the type depends on which part of the brain was affected and what happened during the seizure.
Symptoms of a seizure may include staring, jerking movements, stiffening of the body, loss of consciousness, appearing confused or in a haze, nonresponsiveness, periods of rapid eye blinking, rhythmic nodding, loss of bowel or bladder control, or tongue biting.
Diagnosis
To get a complete picture of your condition, our team will carefully review your symptoms and medical history. Your evaluation will involve a full assessment of your seizure and symptoms and may include:
- Blood tests
- Wada testing
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Neurological, neuropsychological, speech, and hearing evaluations
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), positron emission tomography (PET), functional MRI (fMRI)
Treatments
Our multidisciplinary team of North American and European [SAFC1] certified experts include neurologists, neurosurgeons, radiologists, mental health specialists and other medical professionals who work together to provide comprehensive care and personalized treatment plans for all anyone who has epilepsy.
We have the enhanced capability to treat complex cases of epilepsy that are refractory to medical treatment with anti-seizure medication. Our division is also equipped to offer:
- Awake brain surgery
- Long-term epilepsy monitoring
- Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy
- Neuropsychological evaluation for lateralization of the memory and the language in patients with epilepsy that are surgical candidates
- Surgery for patients that have a unilateral lesion that is producing the seizures called the epileptogenic zone
While some people may require lifelong treatment to control seizures, the majority of people are able to control their seizures with medication or surgery. Some treatments we offer include:
- Diet therapy
- Epilepsy surgery
- Epilepsy medication
