EPILEPSY

Epilepsy

A neurological disorder, epilepsy is characterized by unpredictable seizures.

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder and affects people of all ages. With epilepsy, brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures or periods of unusual behavior, sensations and sometimes, loss of awareness. Someone is said to have epilepsy if they experience two or more unprovoked seizures separated by at least 24 hours or after one seizure with a high risk for more.

Epilepsy at a Glance

What it is: A neurological disorder characterized by abnormal brain activity that causes unpredictable, unprovoked seizures, periods of unusual behavior, or loss of awareness.
Main Causes: While about half of all cases have no identifiable cause, others may be linked to genetics, head trauma, brain conditions, infectious diseases, prenatal injury, or developmental disorders.
Common Warning Signs: Symptoms vary by person but often include temporary confusion, staring spells, uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs, loss of consciousness, and psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety, or déjà vu.
Diagnosis: Confirmed through a review of medical history and comprehensive testing, which may include neurological exams, blood tests, EEGs (including high-density), CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, and neuropsychological tests.
Treatment Options: Doctors generally begin with medication, but may also recommend minimally invasive surgery (such as laser ablation technology), vagus nerve stimulation, or other therapies if medications are ineffective.
Care at TGH: Tampa General Hospital is an accredited level 4 epilepsy center featuring a specialized team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, and technicians dedicated to treating seizures in adults and children.

Epilepsy Causes

For about half of the people diagnosed with epilepsy, there is no identifiable cause. In the other half, the condition may be traced to various factors, including:

Genetic influence
Head trauma
Brain conditions
Infectious diseases
Prenatal injury
Developmental disorders

Epilepsy Symptoms

Because epilepsy is a disorder that causes seizures, experiencing unprovoked seizures is the primary sign of the condition. Seizure signs and symptoms can vary in each person, but typically include:

Temporary confusion
A staring spell
Uncontrollable jerking movements of the arms and legs
Loss of consciousness or awareness
Psychic symptoms such as fear, anxiety or déjà vu

In most cases, a person with epilepsy will tend to have the same type of seizure each time. Therefore, the symptoms will be similar from episode to episode.

Epilepsy Diagnosis

To determine the cause of seizures and potentially diagnose epilepsy, your doctor will review your symptoms and medical history. They may also order several tests and exams, including:

A neurological exam
Blood tests
An electroencephalogram (EEG)
A high-density EEG
A computerized tomography (CT) scan
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Neuropsychological tests

Epilepsy Treatments

Doctors generally approach epilepsy treatment with medication first. If medications don't treat the condition, doctors may propose:

Surgery, such as the laser ablation technology use to complete minimally invasive stereotactic neurosurgery
Vagus nerve stimulation
Another type of treatment like therapy

Tampa General Hospital is proud to be an accredited level 4 epilepsy center with a team of neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, nurses and technicians that are specialists in the diagnosis and treatment of seizures in both adults and children.

Click on the following links for more information about Laser Ablation technology: www.visualaseinc.com