Anterior Thalamic DBS for Intractable Epilepsy

Kim, Seong Tae; Kim, Moo Seong; Paeng, Seong Hwa; No, Seong Jin; Pyo, Sae Young; Jeong, Young Gyun; Lee, Sun Il; Jung, Yong Tae

Case report

Journal of the Korean Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery 2007;3(1):91-93.
Published online June 30, 2007.

Anterior Thalamic DBS for Intractable Epilepsy

Seong Tae Kim, Moo Seong Kim, Seong Hwa Paeng, Seong Jin No, Sae Young Pyo, Young Gyun Jeong, Sun Il Lee, Yong Tae Jung

Department of Neurosurgery, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan, Korea

Abstract

Objective
A significant number of patient with epilepsy remains poorly controlled despite antiepileptic medication treatment and are not eligible for resective surgery. Several studies have indicated that the anterior thalamic region plays an important role in the maintenance and propagation of seizures. We investigated neuromodulation of the anterior thalamus by using deep-brain stimulation in a 34-year-male patient with intractable epilepsy. Material and Methods: Brain MRI showed schizencephaly in right frontal lobe, EEG pattern was complex partial seizure. His seizure was developed from birth. He had medication for 34years. We tried bilateral DBS electrodes in the anterior thalamus.
Results
Treatment showed significant decrease in seizure frequency with a reduction of 60% (follow-up, 2months). No adverse effects were observed after DBS electrode insertion or stimulation.
Conclusions
DBS of the anterior thalamus is a safe procedure and possibly effective in patients with medically resistant seizure.

Key Words: Deep brain stimulation, Intractable epilepsy, Anterior thalamus.