For people who live with epilepsy, it can be an agonizing question: when will the next seizure come. But, a new treatment is providing a better answer and relief. Big hugs after a long journey. The Wassermans reunited with their son’s doctors at Tufts Medical Center.Steve Wasserman says, “Jeff has had epilepsy since he was in kindergarten that’s when he had his first seizure that we were aware of. It was a grand mal and Jeff was found lying down at the playground at school.A grand mal is an uncontrollable seizure that can be life-threatening. At his worst, Jeff was having two or three in a single week for decades.Jeff Wasserman says, “Like at work, I used to have them at work.”Jeff Wasserman’s dad Steve Wasserman says, “Every time my cellphone would ring I would say, ‘oh no it’s another seizure’ and my stress level would go up.”After two brain surgeries that didn’t have long-lasting results, the Wassermans decided on a new option hoping to give Jeff his independence.Associate professor of neurosurgery with Tufts Medical Center Dr. James Kryzanski said, “So we make a space or a hole in the skull that’s about this size and this becomes the replacement skull.”It’s called “Neuropace” and it’s a new way to treat patients with epilepsy. Think of it as a pacemaker for the brain.Dr. Joel Oster, a neurologist at Tufts Medical Center says, “It’s always listening. It will tell us over time and show us where seizures start, how they spread and where they go in the areas where we have the electrodes in. So over time, we can offer neuro-stimulation to modulate those areas and stop the seizures hopefully.”The device also radically changes how Oster and Kryzanski monitor what’s going on inside Jeff’s brain.Kryzanski said, “We can just hold a wand. If this is here we just have a wand that listens. Then the wand stores all that same data and sends it right by the phone to the treating doctors who can just make any adjustments that are necessary.”Jeff has now been seizure-free since December of 2020.Steve Wasserman said, “I kept a log of every time Jeff had a seizure, and I just realized we were at six months, seven months — we’re at eight months. It’s like, ‘wow we’ve done it.'”Jeff’s mother Mollie Wasserman said, “Now we can just enjoy Jeff and just relish that he’s in such a good place. He’s just got a new job. He’s busy. He’s got all of his activities, his friends and it’s just great to have that.”Jeff Wasserman said, “Hang out with friends and see my family, too, sometimes and see my brother’s kids.”Oster and Kryzanski say Neuropace has a 90% success rate and is a game-changer for patients with epilepsy. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016.Not only does it stop seizures it helps them gauge response to medication as well.
For people who live with epilepsy, it can be an agonizing question: when will the next seizure come.
But, a new treatment is providing a better answer and relief.
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Big hugs after a long journey. The Wassermans reunited with their son’s doctors at Tufts Medical Center.
Steve Wasserman says, “Jeff has had epilepsy since he was in kindergarten that’s when he had his first seizure that we were aware of. It was a grand mal and Jeff was found lying down at the playground at school.
A grand mal is an uncontrollable seizure that can be life-threatening. At his worst, Jeff was having two or three in a single week for decades.
Jeff Wasserman says, “Like at work, I used to have them at work.”
Jeff Wasserman’s dad Steve Wasserman says, “Every time my cellphone would ring I would say, ‘oh no it’s another seizure’ and my stress level would go up.”
After two brain surgeries that didn’t have long-lasting results, the Wassermans decided on a new option hoping to give Jeff his independence.
Associate professor of neurosurgery with Tufts Medical Center Dr. James Kryzanski said, “So we make a space or a hole in the skull that’s about this size and this becomes the replacement skull.”
It’s called “Neuropace” and it’s a new way to treat patients with epilepsy. Think of it as a pacemaker for the brain.
Dr. Joel Oster, a neurologist at Tufts Medical Center says, “It’s always listening. It will tell us over time and show us where seizures start, how they spread and where they go in the areas where we have the electrodes in. So over time, we can offer neuro-stimulation to modulate those areas and stop the seizures hopefully.”
The device also radically changes how Oster and Kryzanski monitor what’s going on inside Jeff’s brain.
Kryzanski said, “We can just hold a wand. If this is here we just have a wand that listens. Then the wand stores all that same data and sends it right by the phone to the treating doctors who can just make any adjustments that are necessary.”
Jeff has now been seizure-free since December of 2020.
Steve Wasserman said, “I kept a log of every time Jeff had a seizure, and I just realized we were at six months, seven months — we’re at eight months. It’s like, ‘wow we’ve done it.'”
Jeff’s mother Mollie Wasserman said, “Now we can just enjoy Jeff and just relish that he’s in such a good place. He’s just got a new job. He’s busy. He’s got all of his activities, his friends and it’s just great to have that.”
Jeff Wasserman said, “Hang out with friends and see my family, too, sometimes and see my brother’s kids.”
Oster and Kryzanski say Neuropace has a 90% success rate and is a game-changer for patients with epilepsy. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2016.
Not only does it stop seizures it helps them gauge response to medication as well.