Epilepsy, a neural disorder causing recurring, unprovoked seizures, is a disease for which several treatments are available, including widely used drug therapies. Though epileptic seizures can vary in type and severity, they can be prevented to a large extent through surgical methods, which recently have become easier to undergo due to technological developments.
In light of these developments, neurosurgery is also a solution to prevent epileptic seizures. Mahad Ahmed Houssein, 33, from Djibouti, who suffered frequent epileptic seizures after a head injury nine years ago, sought treatment in Türkiye.
Houssein's seizures decreased by some 80% after undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery in an Istanbul hospital.
Brain and neurosurgery specialist Dr. Said Öztürk from Bahçelievler's Medical Park Hospital said: “Our patient had a severe head injury as a result of falling from a height nine years ago. We saw that the condition could not be treated with medication at the stage it had come to. The patient reached us via social media, and upon our call for check-ups at our hospital, we decided a surgical intervention should be performed."
''We performed a brain pacing surgery, which was the first in our country, for a patient with an epilepsy diagnosis,'' he added.
''This surgery has not been performed before in our country nor in the nearby vicinity (Eastern Europe and Turkic Republics). Brain battery surgery is an extremely safe surgical method. With this surgery, we see that seizures are reduced by 80% and the quality of life improves,'' the doctor underscored.
“Our surgery took an average of three hours. Four hours after the operation, our patient was able to sit down and eat food. We keep (our) patients under observation at the hospital for three days and on the fourth day, our patients return to their daily lives. We aim to improve the quality of life of our patients with brain pacing treatment. Seizures can be prevented by 80%, and for some patients close to 100%,'' Öztürk explained.
Adding that through the rechargeable battery technology they use, the life of patients can be extended by up to 18 years. The doctor noted that, at the moment, drug therapy is not effective in an average of 30% of patients with epilepsy.
''We can say that neurosurgery and open surgeries are more effective in resistant epilepsy patients in this group. When a brain battery is inserted, drug treatment is continued in addition to it, and in the future, we can recommend reducing drug doses,'' he said.
Emphasizing the developments in Türkiye's health arena, Dr. Öztürk said, “Our access to high-edge technology products and level of surgical experience are effective in the preference and interest of foreign patients in our country.''
Houssein recounted his experience, saying: “My epilepsy started after an accident I had nine years ago. I used to have seizures once or twice every two months. I did not have any seizures since the surgery. There is a big difference in my quality of life between before and after the surgery.''
