Video for Veterans on Epilepsy Surgery

Epilepsy News From: Tuesday, April 25, 2017

The VA Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (ECoE) has released the eighth video in its “Veterans and Epilepsy: Basic Training” series. This new video focuses on surgical treatment for epilepsy.

In the New Video

  • Tim, an army veteran with epilepsy, and his wife Joellen talk about his life before and after surgery to treat his seizures
  • Paul Rutecki MD, chief of neurology at VAMC Madison, WI, talks about surgery as an option to treat seizures when medications fail
  • Wendell Lake MD, a neurosurgeon at VAMC Madison, WI, talks about using surgery to treat epilepsy
  • Both Drs. Rutecki and Lake discuss the risks and benefits of epilepsy surgery, as well as what happens during the surgery
  • Ann Carncross RN, BSN, MSCN, a nurse at VAMC Madison, WI, talks about the testing done before epilepsy surgery
Sometimes medications don’t work, and in about one-third of patients medications will not control their seizures. - Dr. Paul Rutecki

 

Many patients with uncontrolled epilepsy have seizures that come from one specific region of the brain.- Dr. Wendell Lake

These people with epilepsy can often have their seizures controlled after surgery on this area of the brain.

[scald=23841:sdl_editor_representation]

About the “Veterans and Epilepsy: Basic Training” Video Series

Each video in the “Veterans and Epilepsy: Basic Training” series features a veteran sharing his or her personal experiences and unique challenges balancing the medical, personal, and social aspects associated with having recurring seizures. The goal of the video series is to promote public awareness of the impact of epilepsy in the lives of veterans and to convey that these patients are able to live full, productive, successful lives. Subsequent videos will be released every few months over the next year and include topics such as epilepsy surgery and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Viewers can also check the YouTube playlist for recent and future videos in this series.

Finding Help

If you or someone you know is a veteran with seizures interested in seeking services at one of the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence, please speak with your local primary care provider or neurologist. Your health care provider will be able to determine if you might benefit from the services provided by the ECoE and assist you with scheduling an appointment.

For more information, please email [email protected] or visit the VA epilepsy website at www.epilepsy.va.gov.

Back

Reviewed Date

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Sign Up for Emails

Stay up to date with the latest epilepsy news, stories from the community, and more.

Subscribe