RESOURCES

WHAT IS EPILEPSY?

Epilepsy is a condition in which a person has recurrent seizures.  A seizure is defined as an abnormal, disorderly discharging of the brain's nerve cells, resulting in a temporary disturbance of motor, sensory, or mental function.

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There are many types of seizures, depending primarily on what part of the brain is involved.

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Discuss options with your doctor or neurologist for treatment of epilepsy seizures.  Follow their advice, especially if you are on prescribed medications, generally anticonvulsants.

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The VNS, Vagus Nerve Stimulator, is a generator, implanted under the skin below the patient’s left chest under the clavicle.  Lead wires from the generator are wired up to the patient’s neck and wrapped around the left vagus nerve at the carotid sheath to connect electrodes to the generator.  It delivers electrical impulses to the vagus nerve at regular intervals.  VNS is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy.

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Another option is epilepsy surgery.  Your doctor would discuss your options and possibilities of an operation.  A neurosurgeon becomes involved and will provide epilepsy tests to see if you are a likely candidate for surgery.

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Neurosurgeons can surgically remove the part of your brain where seizures happen, a brain lesion, a brain lobe, or a portion of a brain lobe.  The most common type of surgery is a temporal lobectomy.

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Healthy people may have seizures under certain circumstances.  If the seizures have a known cause, the condition is referred to as secondary or symptomatic epilepsy.