The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Saint Peter’s University Hospital
Saint Peter’s is a Level 4 epilepsy center– the highest rating available from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. The center’s full-time, specially trained staff provides the most complete range of evaluative and surgical treatments for children and adults with epilepsy.
Our team is comprised of adult and pediatric epileptologists (neurologists who specialize in epilepsy), neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, interventional radiologists, nurse practitioners, educational counselors, social workers and electroen- cephalogram (EEG) technologists.
Respected experts in their fields, using state-of-the-art technology, provide the basis for accurate assessment of various seizure disorders and advanced treatment options.
Patients’ families and caregivers are all encouraged to be involved in the treatment process and are a welcome and integral part of the team.
Diagnostic Services
Services and Programs
The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program uses the latest diagnostic tools to help diagnose and better treat patients with epilepsy.
Video-EEG Monitoring
Video-EEG (electroencephalogram) monitoring is an essential advanced tool in the manage- ment of patients with epilepsy. Video-EEG monitoring is an inpatient procedure performed at Saint Peter’s, using a digital Video-EEG monitoring system that is one of the most sophisticated systems in the United States. The patient’s seizure events, along with the measurement of the brain’s electrical activity (EEG), are recorded simultaneously.
This information allows our specialists to classify the origin and/or the type of seizures in order to determine the appropriate treatment.
Video-EEG also allows our specialists to:
- Distinguish epileptic from non-epileptic events (fainting episodes, syncope, stress-related events, movement disorders, tics, staring episodes)
- Select the best medical therapy for patients with epilepsy
- Evaluate the patient for possible epilepsy surgery
Treatment Options for Epilepsy
- Medications for Seizures: The majority of patients with epilepsy will respond to medication. When working with our team, patients will have access to our 24-hour telephone support team of physicians and nurses.
- Diet Therapy: The Ketogenic and other types of diets have the potential to reduce or even completely eliminate the number of seizures and could even make the patient seizure-free.
- Epilepsy Surgery: Patients who do not respond to any form of medication
may be candidates for epilepsy surgery.
- Vagus Nerve Stimulator (VNS):
For patients who are poorly controlled
on medication and are not candidates for surgery, Vagus Nerve Stimulator
(VNS) implantation is available through our program.
Additional Clinical Programs
- Outpatient Consultation
- Women and Epilepsy Program
- Psychogenic Non-epilepsy Services Program
- Memory Rehabilitation
- Social Support Program
- Epilepsy Research Program
Better Health Update with Dr. Arno Fried