Looking to the future: Robot-assisted surgery offers hope for Brendan

Brendan Randolph focuses on the lane in front of him, takes a few steps and lets the ball fly down the lane. He waits to see where it lands and then turns back, grinning with satisfaction: With all ten pins down, it’s a strike. Bowling is one of his favorite pastimes, and he’s thrilled to be back at it. That’s no small feat for this 17-year-old, who underwent brain surgery just a few months ago. Brendan and his parents, Joanne and Chris Running out of options for epilepsy Brendan began experiencing seizures within just a few hours of his birth and was diagnosed with epilepsy, believed to be the result of a stroke. As the years progressed, so did the condition. Approaches such as the ketogenic diet and an implanted vagus nerve stimulator were of little help, and high doses of medications left him in a fog. Worse, the seizures were becoming even more frequent. Brendan’s parents, Joanne and Chris, learned that — like about one-third of people with the condition — their son had medically refractory epilepsy, which doesn’t respond well to drugs. “It was out of control,” remembers Joanne. “We were quickly running out of options.” Brendan and his sister, Tori Considering surgery For kids with medically refractory epilepsy, surgery is often the only possibility for relief. To determine the area of the brain where seizures are originating, patients must undergo multiple monitoring tests, the first phase of which is noninvasive. If the results are promising, the c...
Source: Thrive, Children's Hospital Boston - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Diseases & Conditions Our Patients’ Stories Dr. Phillip Pearl Dr. Scellig Stone epilepsy epilepsy center robotics seizures Source Type: news