Brain pacemaker, a hope for epileptic patients

NEW DELHI: Deep brain stimulation now hold hope for epileptic patients in the country as Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon, has performed a breakthrough treatment of an epileptic patient by implanting pacemaker as a cure. The treatment conducted by a team of neurologists led by Dr Alok Gupta at Artemis suggests that deep brain stimulation using implanted electrodes help reduce seizures in epileptic patients. Addressing a press conference here today Dr Gupta, Head, Department of Neurosurgery, Artemis Health Institute said, “We took on the challenge of treating 33-year-old Shalini Arora’s recurring epileptic fi ts by implanting pacemaker.” “The result showed that patient whose brain was implanted with devices known as brain pacemakers-which send electrical impulses to specifi c parts of the brainhad reduction in seizures,” he said adding “these exciting fi nding offers hope to patients who regularly suffer from seizures and have been unable to fi nd relief through other forms of treatment as no serious complications have been reported since January, when Shalini was treated. “In this highly specialised procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a wire as thin as a strand of hair, is implanted with precision in the specifi c area of the brain called Anterior Thalamus,” he explained the procedure adding, “In this treatment, impulses to the Anterior Thalamus in the brain are supplied and controlled with an externally programmed pacemaker implanted below the left collar bone. Dr Gupta further said, “Epilepsy affects the day-to-day life of a patient since they can suffer from fi ts any time of the day or night. With this new line of effective treatment, it would be possible to control this inconvenience caused to patients and give them a seizure free life.”