Cause And Management Of Epilepsy In Nigeria

•    Deep brain stimulation.
 In deep brain stimulation, surgeons implant electrodes into a specific part of your brain, typically your thalamus. The electrodes are connected to a generator implanted in your chest or the skull that sends electrical pulses to your brain and may reduce your seizures.
•    Responsive neurostimulation.
Implantable, pacemaker-like devices that help prevent seizures are also under investigation. These responsive stimulation or closed loop devices analyze brain activity patterns to detect seizures before they happen and deliver an electrical charge or drug to stop the seizure.
•    Continuous stimulation of the seizure onset zone (sub threshold stimulation).
Sub threshold stimulation — continuous stimulation to an area of your brain below a level that's physically noticeable — appears to improve seizure outcomes and quality of life for some people with seizures. This treatment approach may work in people who have seizures that start in an area of the brain that can't be removed because it would affect speech and motor functions (eloquent area). Or it might benefit people whose seizure characteristics mean their chances of successful treatment with responsive neurostimulation are low.
 
•    Minimally invasive surgery.
New minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as MRI-guided laser ablation, show promise at reducing seizures with fewer risks than traditional open brain surgery for epilepsy.
•    Stereotactic laser ablation or radiosurgery.
 For some types of epilepsy, stereotactic laser ablation or stereotactic radiosurgery may provide effective treatment for people in which an open procedure may be too risky. In these procedures, doctors direct radiation at the specific area in the brain causing seizures, to destroy that tissue in an effort to better control the seizures.
•    External nerve stimulation device.
Similar to vagus nerve stimulation, this device would stimulate specific nerves to reduce frequency of seizures. But unlike vagus nerve stimulation, this device would be worn externally so that no surgery to implant the device is needed.
2.6 COMPLICATIONS OF EPILEPSY
Complications of complex partial seizures are easily triggered by emotional stress. The limbic structures (i.e., hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala) of the brain may be damaged by seizure activity. The limbic system is concerned with emotion and motivation.
These patients may develop cognitive and behavioral difficulties, such as the following:
•    Interictal personality: humorlessness, dependence, obsessions, anger, hypo- or hyper sexuality, emotionality
•    Memory loss: short-term memory loss attributable to dysfunction in the hippocampus, anomia (inability to recall words or names of objects)
•    Poriomania: prolonged aimless wandering followed by amnesia
•    Violent behavior: aggression and defensiveness when subjected to restraint during a seizure
Complications associated with tonic-clonic seizures may involve injury, such as the following:
•    Aspiration (inhalation into the lungs) of secretions or vomited stomach contents
•    Skull or vertebral fractures, shoulder dislocation
•    Tongue, lip, or cheek injuries caused by biting
•    Status epilepticus