Treatment using invasive neurosurgical methods
Many fellow citizens of all ages suffer from epileptic seizures. These seizures are due to uncontrollable electrical activity of the brain, much like an electrical storm, causing serious health problems in patients and affecting their everyday lives and the lives of their families. Seven out of ten patients can control their seizures to a satisfactory extent with pharmaceutical treatment. However, most people do not know that those who cannot control their condition with medications can have a second chance at having their problem treated through epilepsy surgery.
The initial purpose of the treatment is to determine the exact source of epileptic seizures by using advanced imaging and EEG techniques. Once this is achieved and the specific area of the brain may be approached safely, the cause of the seizures is removed. The procedure may be successfully performed on both children and adults. In the last three years, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), i.e. implantation of permanent small electrodes in the brain, has also been used to control seizures, without the need to remove or destroy nervous tissue.
Successful treatment requires choosing the right patients, who will be examined and subsequently undergo the surgical procedure. Despite the fact that epileptic seizures are very similar among patients, not everyone is eligible for surgical treatment. The neurosurgical team works closely with Metropolitan Hospital's very experienced epilepsy specialists, who undertake the initial stage of patient examinations.
At Metropolitan Hospital, we are fully equipped to offer a second chance to patients suffering from epilepsy.
Epilepsy Surgery
The epilepsy surgery program is implemented at Metropolitan Hospital with successful results. The Seizure Investigation Unit constantly records the electrical activity of the brain, along with time-synchronized video, in order to collect all the data from the epileptic seizures and record the activity that could differentiate epileptic seizures from other disorders.
At the same time, specialized imaging, MRI, brain scintigraphy during epileptic seizures (ictal SPECT), as well as intra and extraoperative corticography, which helps to show specific brain functions (movement, speech) and record brain activity, are performed.
This information, which helps pinpoint the anatomical source of epileptic seizures, is collected intraoperatively and evaluated by the Neurophysiologist and the Neurosurgeon.