CLINICAL DIVISIONS

Epilepsy Division

Considered a leader in the latest advances in epilepsy treatment, the Epilepsy Division within the Department of Neurology is dedicated to epilepsy treatment, research, and education.

Using a multi-disciplinary team approach, the division’s medical and surgical teams actively conduct research in their respective disciplines. Their coordinated efforts incorporate the latest innovations.

From the initial evaluation by the division’s faculty and fellows to the continued care of the referring physician, each patient can be assured of having the care and management that only a specialized epilepsy division can provide.

Epilepsy Surgery

Most seizure disorders are caused by an injury to the brain in which the resulting gliotic scar may become epileptogenic. In more than 80 percent of patients, surgical removal of this abnormal epileptic tissue may result in complete remission or a significant reduction of seizures without producing a neurological deficit. Epilepsy surgery should be considered when traditional approaches fail.

At the epilepsy division, surgical procedures are undertaken only after an in-depth evaluation is completed. Identification of the epileptic area may, when appropriate, be accomplished using surgically implanted epidural, subdural, and depth electrodes in conjunction with EEG/video monitoring.

In some cases, intra-carotid methohexital (or Wada) testing may be necessary before surgery to determine hemispheric speech dominance and memory function. The surgical resection is usually completed under local anesthesia. Functional mapping and electrocorticography by electrical stimulation of the cortex is then routinely performed. Thus, the critical language, motor, and sensory areas of the cortex can be identified and the resection tailored to exclude these important areas.