Vagal nerve stimulation using an NCP (Cyberonics) device has been suggested as a potential treatment for patients with epilepsy that has previously proven refractory. Ten patients in Northern Ireland have had this device implanted and been fully audited pre- and post-operatively. Twelve months post-implantation, five patients have demonstrated a greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency. ...

Numerous functional neuroimaging techniques have progressively been added to the presurgical evaluation of refractory partial epilepsies. These investigations can help confirm the origin of seizure onset previously suggested by MR imaging and electro-clinical data, provide independent prognostic information, and provide critical diagnostic value when MR imaging results are strictly normal or sh...

Current evidence suggests that epilepsy outcome for people with a learning disability is poor, with the majority remaining refractory to treatment. There is very little evidence from randomised controlled trials in this population and despite the many uncontrolled variables it is suggested that an outcome audit may be one method of adding to the evidence base. This audit reports on the outcome ...

OBJECTIVE Our aim is to use the high field MR scanner (3T) to verify whether diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) could help in locating the epileptogenic zone in patients with MRI-negative refractory partial epilepsy. METHOD Fifteen patients with refractory partial epilepsy who had normal conventional MRI, and 40 healthy volunteers were recruited for the study. DTI was performed on a 3T MR scanner...

Background: Sleep Seizures (SSs) generally occur in refractory focal epilepsy, but their detailed characteristics and circadian patterns are still controversial. The effect of SSs on epilepsy surgery outcome has been addressed in few studies without definitive prognostic value.   Objectives: This study investigated the characteristics of SSs and their prognosis in refractory focal epilepsy. M...

BACKGROUND: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) following injection of radiotracer during a seizure is known as ictal SPECT. Comparison of an ictal SPECT study to a baseline or interictal study can aid identification of a seizure focus. CASE PRESENTATION: A young woman with encephalitis and refractory seizures underwent brain SPECT during a period of frequent seizure-like episode...

INTRODUCTION Pregabalin (PGB) was licensed in the EU in 2004 as an adjunctive therapy in partial epilepsy. It is also licensed for neuropathic pain and generalised anxiety. AIMS To identify the clinical usefulness and side effects of add-on PGB in out-patient epilepsy clinics. METHODS We performed an audit on 96 consecutive patients (44 male) prescribed PGB for refractory epilepsy. Mean fol...

We investigated the effect of galvanic skin response (GSR) biofeedback training on seizure frequency in patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy. Eighteen patients with drug-refractory epilepsy were randomly assigned either to an active GSR biofeedback group (n = 10) or to a sham control biofeedback group (n = 8). Biofeedback training significantly reduced seizure frequency in the active biof...