Neuro Epilepsy - Netcare Hospitals

Epilepsy affects 1 in every 100 people in South Africa

Reference: Epilepsy South Africa

How prevalent is epilepsy?

Epilepsy affects 1 in every 100 people in South Africa – that is approximately half a million South Africans based on a total estimated population of 52 million. There are approximately 50 million people with epilepsy worldwide.

This makes it one of the most common neurological diseases worldwide. Since 2004, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) has increased by more than 100% in South Africa.

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What is epilepsy?

Epilepsy seizures involve “excessive electrical discharges in a group of brain cells. Different parts of the brain can be the site of such discharges. Seizures can vary from the briefest lapses of attention or muscle jerks to severe and prolonged convulsions. Seizures can also vary in frequency, from less than one per year to several per day”.

Reference: World Health Organization

Epilepsy

Types of epilepsy and how they present

Epilepsy may present in different ways. These include:

Atonic
seizures

Where the person briefly loses control of their muscles and collapses.

Complex partial seizures

Where a specific area of the brain is affected. The seizure may start with the person experiencing an aura, and may appear confused, distracted or drunk. The person may also have repetitive movements such as plucking at their clothes.

Generalised absence seizures

Also known as petit mal seizures where the person looks blank and stares into the distance, and may also blink or twitch slightly. This type of seizure can last up to 10 seconds before they start acting normal again.

Generalised tonic clonic seizures

Commonly known as grand mal or convulsive seizures. It usually starts with the person staring, followed by a stiffening of the body and the person falling down with uncontrolled muscle jerking. The seizures usually lasts a few minutes.

How long will the monitoring take?

Patients are admitted to an EMU for a stay of between 24 hours and five days.

Patients may bring a laptop, books or magazines, craft materials, video games or other items and can also watch TV to help them pass the time. They may be required to stay awake for some time, as sleep deprivation testing may be necessary.

Treatments for epilepsy

Epilepsy can be treated in several ways. Your treating specialist will take a number of factors into consideration in recommending the most appropriate treatment for managing your condition.

However, if surgery does not result in a cure for your epilepsy, DBS is used to help reduce the severity of your seizures.

Anti-epileptic medicines

These medicines are effective for most individuals with epilepsy, either to prevent seizures or to decrease the frequency and intensity of seizures.

Surgery

In cases where epilepsy is resistant to medication, and the epilepsy stems from only a small, defined part of the brain, surgery to remove that part can be very effective, provided that part doesn’t control aspects such as speech, sight, hearing or movement.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS)

In minimally invasive DBS, a small device is permanently implanted deep inside the brain. This neurostimulator device sends out electrical pulses to help control seizures. DBS may be recommended if medication is not as effective as it should be, the medication side effects negatively impact your daily life, or to reduce the severity of the seizures if surgery does not result in a cure for the epilepsy.