Neurology experts at Newcastle Hospitals are helping patients to take part in a clinical trial to detect and record epilepsy seizures through new implant technology.
As one of only five centres in the UK taking part, Newcastle is the only north east hospital to offer patients access to this pioneering study.
The team recently carried out surgery to place small implants in the brains of five patients, to gather accurate and regular data about the strength and frequency of their epileptic seizures.
This information will allow treatment to be monitored and adapted accordingly, as well as giving patients more information about their condition.
Epilepsy affects more than 630,000 people in the UK and over 30 percent struggle to get their seizures under control.
A key challenge can be difficulties with recording accurate ‘seizure diaries’, which are essential to a tailored treatment plan. If seizures are unrecognised and not recorded properly, this then has an impact on the assessment of any medication.
Through the implant, seizures are accurately and consistently tracked 24/7, allowing carefully personalised treatment plans and reassurance to people living with the condition.
22-year-old Adam Atkinson, one of the patients in the trial, suffers from a rare condition called seronegative autoimmune encephalitis. This has had a significant impact on Adam’s life, altering memory, cognitive functions and many other things. It has also left Adam with refractory epilepsy, which are seizures that do not respond well to medication.
Adam’s mum Victoria said: “Adam’s seizures have been almost daily since his brain injury in 2018. They are not consistent in type, ranging from absence seizures to seizures which cause stiffening and twitching of his muscles, and affect every aspect of Adam’s life.
“Before the implant we used a seizure diary to track the events, but as we sometimes don’t know when Adam has had a seizure the diary isn’t always accurate.
“We were excited for Adam to be chosen for this study, which we hope will help us manage and improve Adam’s treatment and potentially lead to new alternative treatments that will help Adam and other people living with epilepsy to lead a better quality of life.”
Judith Nelson, who is also a patient in the trial, is hopeful about the impact that this trial will have on the management of epilepsy, commenting: “I have suffered from epilepsy for the last 13 years. As a result of my seizures, I have had broken bones, stitches and have lost count of the bruises, as I cannot prepare myself and be safe when a seizure happens.
“I hope that the trial produces data that my doctors can use to assess my care and make any changes needed to my treatment. I am also hopeful that this research will lead to new equipment in the future that will help many people with epilepsy be more prepared for the effects that their unseen medical condition can cause.”
The implant procedures were carried out by Dr Rhys Thomas, consultant neurologist and Mr Mohammed Akbar Hussain, consultant neurosurgeon, alongside the wider surgical team at the Freeman Hospital’s day treatment centre.
Dr. Thomas said: “Seizures can strike at any time, any place and there is no blood test that allows us to measure control. Instead, people keep diaries of the events that they recognise and remember.
“This study allows us to monitor people as they go about their daily lives, for up to 24 hours a day, to get a full picture of their brain’s activities. We use this information to ensure people know about all of their seizures and to make targeted medication changes.
“We hope that this study will be the next breakthrough in long term wearable technology to support brainwave monitoring.”
