A newly created brain implant may soon stop epilepsy seizures according to researchers at Thomas Jefferson University
The device is a landmark leap forward and Dr. Michael Sperling, M.D., sees it as significant to approximately 30 to 40 percent of people who cannot control seizures with medications, so that they can work and drive.
The implant is connected to two wires containing electrodes that are placed within the brain or resting on the brain surface where seizures originate. The implant sends electrical stimulations to suppress seizures ... or short circuits in the brain - before symptoms even appear.
Researchers now plan to observe 65 adults with medically uncontrolled epilepsy and the results should indicate that the device is safe. All participants will receive the implant but only half of them will have their device activated in the opening phase.
Some devices will be activated 16 weeks after surgery once the controlled phase is complete. “Patients who have the device activated one month after surgery will be monitored weekly at the epilepsy center to alter the implant for best performance.
They are looking for participants from 18 to 70 years of age and meet the following requirements:
1. have disabling (significant enough to impair functional abilities or day-to-day life activities) motor simple partial seizures, complex partial seizures and/or secondarily generalized seizures;
2. failed treatment with a minimum of two antiepileptic medications; and experienced an average of three or more disabling seizures every 28 days for three consecutive periods prior to enrollment and have no more than two regions that induce seizures in the brain.
Know anybody who may benefit from participating in the study? If so ... call 1-800-Jeff-now, 215-955-4672 or 1-866-904-6630, and medical researchers related to Thomas Jefferson University, will give you more information.
Does somebody you know miss work because of uncontrollable seizures?
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