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Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain that causes repeated, unpredictable seizures, generally beginning in childhood or early adulthood. Epilepsy can lead to serious complications, including injury to the brain.
Epilepsy means the brain has formed abnormal electrical connections that disrupt normal brain function and cause seizures. It can be caused by an injury or illness that affects the brain, such as a stroke or brain tumor, or its cause can be unknown.
In adults, medication can frequently control epilepsy. However, if seizures persist after trying two drugs, our expert neurosurgeons may offer epilepsy surgery.
Epilepsy seizures usually begin between the ages of five and 20 but may occur at any age. The type and severity of epilepsy symptoms and seizures can indicate what part of the brain is affected by epilepsy.
It is important for anyone who has seizures despite taking medication to be seen by a doctor who specializes in epilepsy treatment, also known as an epileptologist. These doctors are trained in the use of imaging and other studies to diagnose the causes of epilepsy.
An EEG (electroencephalogram) of the brain shows electrical activity, which can pinpoint the areas of the brain that are not behaving normally in patients with epilepsy. Since electrical activity in the brain may appear normal between epileptic seizures, your doctor may request a video EEG study, which is done during an inpatient visit in the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at UPMC Presbyterian.
If you are a candidate for epilepsy surgery, UPMC neurosurgeons will also perform a full complement of diagnostic tests to determine if surgery is appropriate.
Neurosurgeons at UPMC are able to help adult patients with epilepsy lead a normal life and control their seizures through the use of the following epilepsy treatment:
A full complement of advanced diagnostic tests are performed to help patients receive an accurate diagnosis and to determine whether surgical intervention is appropriate.
Usually, epilepsy medications can bring seizures under control. However, in at least one third of people with epilepsy, seizures persist despite trials of numerous drugs.
Epilepsy surgery may be an effective option if:
UPMC neurosurgeons offer diagnostic surgery for detection of difficult to localize seizures, also called intracranial monitoring, and a number of surgical treatments:
Read more about how surgery remains underutilized in patients suffering from epilepsy (PDF).
Follow the beat for a healthier life. Read our blog posts:
When this college student was diagnosed with epilepsy, surgery to remove a portion of his brain responsible for the seizures helped get back his life.
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