Stanford Develops Epilepsy Implant

Stanford Hospital & Clinics will begin this month implanting a device that is expected to preempt the seizures of some epilepsy patients.

The battery-powered device, known as a responsive neurostimulation system, monitors electrical activity in the brain and delivers mild electric stimulation when it senses irregular activity that bring's the patient's brain back to normal before a seizure begins. It is implanted in the patient's skull and behind the scalp. The surgeon or other treating physicians can program the device specifically for each patient.

Stanford received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin using the device late last year. It is only effective for adults with intractable partial seizures that are localized in no more than two parts of the brains and have been uncontrolled by two or more drugs.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are about 2 million Americans who suffer from epilepsy, more than a third of whom are non-responsive to medications. The condition costs $15.5 billion a year in terms of healthcare costs and lost earnings. 

“While this isn’t a cure for epilepsy, this technology reduces the number of seizures for some patients. This can improve quality of life for patients who previously did not have other satisfactory treatment options,” said Robert Fisher, M.D., professor of neurology and neurological sciences and director of the comprehensive epilepsy program at Stanford Hospital & Clinics.

Stanford's team of epilepsy providers treats about 4,000 patients a year. It is unknown how many will receive the implant in the coming years, or whether it will draw patients from outside Northern California.