Although we specialize in Epilepsy management, our neurologists evaluate and treat all other neurological conditions including:
At the Orlando Epilepsy Center, we provide comprehensive care for Epilepsy and Seizure management. We help in all stages of Epilepsy care: initial diagnosis, workup, treatment, and long-term management. Patients are treated with an individual plan of care to find the best available treatment option.
Office consultation to diagnose and treat epilepsy
Guidance with driving restrictions and restoration of driving privileges with Florida DMV
Routine and Prolonged
EEG studies
Epilepsy Monitoring Unit Admissions
Selection and management for procedures: DBS, RNS and VNS
Patient selection for epilepsy surgical intervention
Some people with seizures will respond well to medication and may go on to live seizure-free for years or even a lifetime. However, some people with Epilepsy do not respond to medications and will continue to have uncontrolled seizures.
These patients have what is called Refractory Epilepsy and will require long-term medical supervision. Additional testing needs to be performed in these cases including a long-term video EEG to better understand the types of seizures the refractory patients are having.
The Orlando Epilepsy Center will find the best method to treat each individual patient after gaining as much information as possible. This could include a multitude of treatment options including medication alterations, Vagus Nerve Stimulation programming, and coordinating surgery.
Our team will be there for you every step of the way and will provide continued long-term management. We strive for every patient we encounter to live a healthy, active seizure-free lifestyle.
Every state regulates driver’s license eligibility of persons with certain medical conditions. The most common requirement for people with epilepsy is that they be seizure free for a specific period of time and submit a physician’s evaluation of their ability to drive safely. Another common requirement is the periodic submission of medical reports, in some states for a specified period of time and in others for as long as the person remains licensed.
A person with epilepsy may be licensed to drive after a seizure free period of two years before their license is reinstated or issued, but may apply to the Medical Advisory Board (MAB) after six months for reconsideration if they are regularly monitored by a physician and seizure free.
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An EEG is an important step in diagnosing and treating people with seizures. A routine EEG is a pain-free test performed at Orlando Epilepsy Center over a 30 minute period. The EEG technician will apply electrodes onto the patient’s scalp in order to record brain activity for the duration of the test. This can help gather important information to diagnose epilepsy.
Regardless of the outcome of the routine EEG, it is often necessary to perform more testing. If the EEG is negative, it is possible that the important brain wave information was not visible during this time and a longer study is needed to capture that information. If the EEG is positive, it is important to do additional testing to understand exactly which type or types of seizures the patient is experiencing. This next step in additional testing is likely to be a long-term video EEG.
The Orlando Epilepsy Center Monitoring Unit is a one-of-a-kind facility that provides 24-hour Epilepsy monitoring for diagnostic and pre-surgical evaluation in a relaxing, non-hospital setting.
The Continuous Long-Term Video EEG recording happens over a period of three to five days in order to capture the clinical events in question and to localize the underlying seizure activity.
After trying multiple medications, some patients will still continue to have uncontrolled seizures. Out of these Refractory Epilepsy patients, our team of neurologists can determine which of those would benefit from a neuromodulation device. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS Therapy®), responsive neurostimulation (RNS® Therapy), and deep brain stimulation are three types of implanted devices for epilepsy management. These devices are implanted by a neurosurgeon and our neurologists can help coordinate with the patient and surgeon in order to determine which device may be the best choice for them. These devices are part of a long-term seizure management plan and can greatly reduce the severity of seizures in some patients. Most people with neuromodulation devices still need to take seizure medication.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is a seizure management tool that involves implanting a pacemaker-like device in the chest that generates pulses of electricity to stimulate the vagus nerve in the neck. The VNS also has a magnet which is an emergency tool that can be used by the patient or family that can send stronger impulses during a seizure to stop or shorten the seizure. The VNS is placed by a neurosurgeon, the settings are adjusted during outpatient visits with our neurologists.
Responsive Nerve Stimulation (RNS) is a neuromodulation device implanted by a neurosurgeon. A device is placed in the bone covering the brain. Tiny wires or leads are placed in one or two places on top of the brain where seizure activity may begin, these wires can monitor the patient’s seizure frequency and detect when a patient may be having seizure activity and respond by giving a small burst of stimulation to help brain activity return to normal.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is another neuromodulation device implanted in the brain by a neurosurgeon. The device is programmed by the neurologist deliver electrical currents. The stimulation is delivered in a preset cycle and not directly in response to a seizure. These electrical currents affect the excitability of certain circuits of the brain and help prevent seizures or reduce their frequency.
For some patients with refractory epilepsy, surgery may be possible to remove the area of the brain causing the seizures.
In order to determine if a patient would be suited for epilepsy surgery, a diagnostic test called a long-term video EEG must first be performed..
Long-term monitoring is an essential part of this decision process as a physician can combine both the video and the EEG of the patient during a seizure. This can help our doctor to understand if the patient is a candidate for surgery and to localize which part of the brain would require operation. Updated brain imaging studies and neuropsychiatry examination can also help to determine if the patient is a good candidate. Our neurologists will then coordinate with the neurosurgeon to determine the type of surgery that would be most beneficial.
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