MEDICATIONS AND TREATMENT

From medications to surgery, there are many different options for treatment of seizures. There is not a "one size fits all" when it comes to treating Epilepsy. Listed below are some of the various options your neurologist may give you to help you succeed in your treatment plan.

Anti-seizure medications are also known as antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), there are more than 20 AEDs available through prescription. While there are many options in epilepsy treatment, your therapy choices will depend on your:

age
type of seizures
frequency of seizures
lifestyle
chances of pregnancy (in women)

Seizure medications are available in two types: narrow- and broad-spectrum AEDs. Some patients may need more than one medication to prevent epileptic seizures more effectively. It’s important to discuss the possibility of side effects, and even worsening seizures, with your doctor before starting any of these medications.

NARROW-SPECTRUM AED

Narrow-spectrum AED medications are used for seizures of a specific type. Usually these seizures occur in only one part of the brain.

BROAD-SPECTRUM AED

Broad-spectrum AED medications are used for seizures that occur in more than one part of the brain.

MEDICATIONS

When medications do not work to help control seizures, sometimes Doctors resort to different types of surgeries. Surgeries are usually the last option when other treatment methods do not work.

VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION (VNS)

A Vagus Nerve stimulator is a device that electronically stimulates the Vagus Nerve and is implanted under the skin. This is most commonly placed in patients with partial seizures.

RESPONSIVE NEUROSTIMULATION DEVICE (RNS)

This device consists of a small neurostimulator implanted within the skull under the scalp. The neurostimulator is connected to one or two wires (called electrodes) that are placed where the seizures are suspected to originate within the brain or on the surface of the brain. The device detects abnormal electrical activity in the area and delivers electrical stimulation to normalize brain activity before seizure symptoms begin.

MULTIPLE SUBPIAL TRANSECTION (MST)

This procedure is used to help control seizures that begin in areas of the brain that cannot be safely removed. The surgeon makes a series of shallow cuts (transections) in the brain tissue. These cuts interrupt the movement of seizure impulses but do not disturb normal brain activity, leaving the person's abilities intact.

LOBE RESECTION

In a temporal lobe resection, brain tissue in the temporal lobe is resected, or cut away, to remove the seizure focus. The anterior (front) and mesial (deep middle) portions of the temporal lobe are the areas most often involved. Extratemporal resection involves removing brain tissue from areas outside of the temporal lobe.

LESIONECTOMY

This is surgery to remove isolated brain lesions -- areas of injury or defect such as a tumor or malformed blood vessel -- that are responsible for seizure activity. Seizures usually stop once the lesion is removed.

CORPUS CALLOSOTOMY

A corpus callosotomy is an operation in which all or part of this structure is cut, disabling communication between the hemispheres and preventing the spread of seizures from one side of the brain to the other.

FUNCTIONAL HEMISPHERECTOMY

This is a variation of a hemispherectomy, a radical procedure in which one entire hemisphere, or one half of the brain, is removed. With a functional hemispherectomy, one hemisphere is disconnected from the rest of the brain, but only a limited area of brain tissue is removed.