There is a new study being done on the NeuroPace implant for epilepsy. This device aids in sensing seizures through small leads or wires placed where the seizures begin. The system works continually, reading the brain’s electrical activity. If something out of the ordinary happens, such as the onset of a seizure, the unit will give a small pulse to the area of the brain where the seizure is starting. This pulse helps the brain to avoid the seizure.
The device is placed under the skin by a neurosurgeon and takes a couple of hours. The only way to get the new RNS implant is by joining a study which is taking place at 29 locations throughout the U.S. In order to join the study group, a person must be between the ages of 18-70, and have tried at least two medications without success. The seizures must originate from one or two places in the brain.
Medical Studies Not Right for Everyone
While medical studies are conducted to try and find new and improved ways of helping people with a number of medical issues, medical studies are just that, studies. There are always safety factors to consider before subjecting yourself to any type of study. While doctors and researchers strive to make things as safe as possible, the purpose of a study is to see what will happen to a patient by having them test new medical devices or medications. There have been studies in which people have been hurt and even died due to complications. All studies are conducted with the participants understanding that the devices or medications are not FDA approved.
If you are experiencing seizures and are not having success with your medications, talk to your doctor about other options available. There is the ketogenic diet, a raw food diet, VNS Therapy, alternative therapies, and even surgery. No one person responds the same to the same treatment as others. It takes time and patience to find out what works best for your own body as well as trial and error. If you don’t have success with these other options, it may be time for you to consider becoming a participant in a new study being conducted. Only you can make the right choice for yourself. Learn everything you can about the study being done, and decide whether or not you would like to proceed, or wait several years until the new treatment has been approved.
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