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Intractable Epilepsy Treatment
Treating Intractable Epilepsy
If you have seizures while using antiepileptic drugs, you may eventually need surgery to treat intractable epilepsy. In this case, your doctor will suggest more tests to map out the source of seizures in your brain.
- Surgery. Surgery may be especially helpful if you have intractable focal or partial epilepsy. During the procedure, the doctor will remove the part of your brain that is starting the seizures. This should not cause any functional impairments for you because the part of the brain that is causing seizures is not functioning normally.
Many places may offer epilepsy surgery for intractable epilepsy. However, Stanford's clinicians make sure that your surgery is not only optimal in eliminating (or at least significantly reducing) your seizures, but is also done safely without causing functional brain impairments. Functional mapping of your brain is essential for this purpose.
- Device Surgery. If you cannot have or do not want brain surgery, your doctor may suggest an implantable device, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) and responsive neurostimulation (RNS) system, or surgery using MRI-guided laser technology.
During VNS, the device is placed under your skin in your chest area, with wires that connect to the vagus nerve in your neck. It sends a current to the nerve and may reduce your number of seizures. It may also help lessen the severity of a seizure that has already started.
A RNS device detects and treats seizures. The device continuously monitors the electrical activity of your seizure focus, senses abnormal electrical activity and responds by delivering unnoticeable pulses of electrical stimulation to normalize it before you experience seizures.
MRI-guided thermal laser ablation involves using a laser-based tool that safely destroys the seizure-causing regions of tissue in your brain, while protecting the healthy surrounding tissue.
Stanford's epilepsy researchers have been pioneers in developing and testing other devices that are being studied in clinical trials. If VNS, RNS or laser ablation is not suitable for you, our team may suggest an appropriate clinical trial.
Intractable epilepsy treatment goals
- Localizing the seizure focus in the brain
- Revising/stabilizing the medication regimen
- Offering surgical removal of the source of seizures, if needed
- Providing surgical devices that are either on the market or being offered via clinical trials
More about treatment for intractable epilepsy