A burst of unusual electrical signals in the brain can interrupt normal connections and cause a seizure. When a person experiences two or more seizures not related to temporary health problems, such as high fever, high or low blood sugar or substance withdrawal, epilepsy may be the cause.
If you or a loved one of any age experience a seizure on more than one occasion, you can find the comprehensive care you need from experts in neurology and neurosurgery at the OU Health Epilepsy Program in Oklahoma City. You’ll get advanced epilepsy services in Oklahoma’s only level 4 (highest) epilepsy center, designated by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC).
When you choose OU Health for epilepsy care, you’ll work with a team of experts from multiple healthcare disciplines. Everyone focuses on your particular condition, whether one that’s new to you or as a long-term, uncontrolled (refractory) or challenging epilepsy.
The variety of specialists on your team also consider any coexisting medical conditions such as depression, learning disabilities, anxiety, genetic disorders and more. You and your team will develop a precise diagnosis and a comprehensive treatment plan designed for your specific situation.
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View Locations View ProvidersTo ensure you receive the most accurate diagnosis for your condition, you and your OU Health epilepsy team may take advantage of a full range of advanced epilepsy diagnostic testing services, including:
Electroencephalography (EEG) – Measures brain waves and electrical activity; offered on an outpatient basis at OU Health
Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) – Helps evaluate blood vessels for narrowing or blockages
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including 3-Tesla (3T) high-resolution scans
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans – Identifies health conditions through blood flow, metabolism and oxygen use
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) – Helps determine the specific location in the brain for a certain function like speech or memory
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans – Produces a series of image slices that can create 3D composites for detailed evaluation
Neuropsychological testing
Stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG)
Intracranial subdural grids/depth electrodes (iEEG), including stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG)
Wada test (intracarotid sodium amytal memory suppression) – Helps evaluate language and memory functions in one half of the brain at a time
At the OU Health Epilepsy Program, you can also take advantage of level 4 epilepsy center services, including the more complex and intensive forms of neurodiagnostic monitoring in our innovative epilepsy monitoring units (EMUs). Available to people of any age, OU Health adult and pediatric inpatient EMUs offer intracranial monitoring with both grid electrodes and stereo electroencephalography.
In addition, comprehensive continuous, time-locked EEG with video and audio data capture allows your team of specialists to accurately diagnose epilepsy and potentially identify the precise area inside the brain where seizures begin. Monitoring also helps your doctors differentiate the problem of non-epileptic seizure events (seizure imitators).
Should your OU Health epilepsy care team recommend a stay in the EMU, you or your loved one benefit from detailed testing information that helps your doctors recommend specifically tailored treatments and possible cures for evaluation, both of which may offer options to include in your individual care plan.
Learn more about epilepsy and seizures.
Through the OU Health level 4 epilepsy center program, you gain access to comprehensive treatment options that may include medication therapy and evaluation for epilepsy surgery, as well as services such as:
Awake craniotomy for speech and motor mapping
Epileptic foci electrocorticography-guided resection (eCog)
Hemispherotomy or hemispherectomy
Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT)
Resective epilepsy surgery
Corpus callosotomy
Temporal lobectomy (amygdalohippocampectomy)
Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS)
Responsive neuro-stimulation (RNS) with NeuroPace/The RNS System®
Deep brain stimulation (DBS)
In addition, you may benefit from dietary (nutrition) therapy, clinical trials of new and experimental drugs or devices for seizures, or education about effects of epilepsy and seizure medications on pregnancy and the developing baby.
As part of the top-level care you receive through the OU Health Epilepsy Program, your team includes specially trained neurologists with expertise in treating seizures, as well as neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, nurse specialists, EEG technologists, social workers and others with extensive training and experience in epilepsy care and treatment.
With everyone focused on the goal of controlling or at least reducing the frequency and side effects of seizures, you benefit from your team’s extensive knowledge and skill – all to help you achieve the best possible outcomes for your particular condition.
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