New hope for epilepsy patients as doctors do a UAE-first
Specialised minimally invasive procedure conducted on Emirati shows promise
Abu Dhabi: UAE doctors have given fresh hope to epilepsy patients after they have perfomed the country’s first stereoelectroencephalography (also known as stereotactic encephalography or SEEG) procedure on an Emirati patient.
The procedure is a minimally invasive surgical technique that pinpoints the origins of hard-to-treat focal epileptic seizures within the brain.
The procedure, which was conducted at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, part of M42 group, involved the surgical implantation of thin electrodes in the brain to reach areas inaccessible with traditional techniques. The Emirati patient on whom it was done has had epilepsy for more than 10 years. After the surgery, the patient was subsequently monitored in a highly controlled environment at the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit for 10 days with the implanted leads in place.
During this time, the patient’s seizures were captured and localised to a specific region in the brain, known as the epileptogenic zone. An electric current was also administered through the implanted leads to trigger the patient’s specific seizures, further supporting the localisation of the area from which the seizures were arising.
Dr Florian Roser, Institute Chair, Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “If we cannot localise seizures with standard scalp EEG recording or other non-invasive imaging modalities, such as MRI, PET-CT, and ictal SPECT scans, then SEEG is necessary. This involves monitoring seizures from within the brain, as opposed to scalp monitoring. The challenge, however, lies in placing the electrodes deep within the brain without damaging vessels or critical structures. Our advanced software, unique in the UAE, integrates various imaging studies to plan the safest and most effective electrode placement.”
Dr Eugene Achi, Staff Physician, Neurology, Neurological Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: “There are many studies which have shown that early surgical intervention can lead to better outcomes in terms of memory, quality of life, and an overall success rate that goes up to 70 per cent, depending on the case.”
Dr Eugene emphasised the multidisciplinary nature of the procedure, acknowledging the contributions of epileptologists, neurosurgeons, neuropsychologists, neuroradiologists, and nuclear medicine radiologists: “This achievement is a testament to our dedicated multidisciplinary team and the support from our institution, health authorities and the patient and his family. We are proud of the outcome and grateful for the trust placed in us.”