Description of Services

The Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Program offers epilepsy patients whose seizures cannot be controlled with medication, a chance for a cure. The multidisciplinary center is the only one in the region able to provide comprehensive evaluation and surgical treatment options for children with intractable epilepsy. Specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, neurophysiology, neuroradiology and neuropsychology work together to determine the best treatment plan for each patient.

All patients undergo a comprehensive evaluation that begins with a digital video/electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring study that involves continuous EEG recording with video to determine the region of the brain where the seizure originates. This study can last for one to two weeks. To help find the seizure focus in the brain, neuroimaging studies are performed including MRI, positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Many patients also receive a magnetoencephalogram (MEG) which uses state-of-the-art technology to localize the seizure by mapping the source of the abnormal electrical activity. Patients also receive neuropsychological testing and a language evaluation to help identify regions of the brain that are not functioning normally. Each patient’s case is reviewed at the UPMC Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Conference in order to determine the best individualized treatment. For those patients who have not responded well to medical therapy, surgical treatment options are considered and then discussed with the patient and family.

The Pediatric Epilepsy Surgery Program is one the largest and busiest centers in the country offering all available surgical treatments for epilepsy, including:

• Focal cortical resection
• Lobectomy
• Hemispherectomy
• Corpus callosotomy
• Vagus nerve stimulator implantation

Surgical procedures are individualized in order to give each patient the best chance to be seizure-free.

Learn more about pediatric epilepsy surgery.

Referral Requirements

Referrals are required from primary care physicians or other Children’s Hospital specialty services. Referrals for patients enrolled in managed care insurance plans also may require authorization from the insurance provider and primary care physician. All necessary referral and authorization forms must be received before the patient’s visit. To make an appointment or for accurate provider numbers or more information, please call the office number listed.

Co-Director
P. David Adelson, MD, FACS, FAAP

Co-Director
Deborah Holder, MD

Staff
Carol Smith, CRNP