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About The Disease

What is drug-resistant epilepsy?

It is a condition in which seizures are not adequately controlled despite regular treatment with two or more appropriate anti-epileptic drugs.

What is proper drug treatment?

Select the right drugs, use an adequate dose and for a sufficient duration under the advice of an epilepsy specialist.

How to determine that the seizures have been effectively controlled?

Before starting treatment, the doctor needs to know your longest seizure-free period. After treatment, if this period triples or reaches 12 months (whichever is longer), the medication is considered effective.

The Selection of Treatment for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

Surgery for Epilepsy: Removing the Seizure Focus

If your doctors can pinpoint the exact area of your brain where seizures begin—and it’s not responsible for vital functions like movement, speech, or memory—they may recommend surgery to remove that area.

This is called resection surgery. It’s considered only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks.

Before the surgery, your medical team will carefully evaluate:

  • Where your seizures start – using brain scans, EEG tests, and other advanced tools

  • Whether surgery is safe – weighing the risks of the operation against the impact of ongoing, uncontrolled seizures

The goal is to reduce or stop seizures and improve your quality of life—safely and effectively.


Magnetic Resonance-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRgLITT)

If the location and size of the lesion are appropriate, Magnetic Resonance-guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRgLITT) can also be considered. This is an advanced minimally invasive treatment technique. The doctor will precisely insert a laser-conducting fiber into the epileptogenic zone. The lesion is then thermally ablated by laser heating, thereby accurately eliminating the focus.

The advantages of LITT technology are as follows:

  1. High precision: Under real-time monitoring by MRI, the laser is ensured to act only on the target area, avoiding damage to surrounding normal brain tissue.
  2. Minimal invasiveness: Compared with traditional open surgery, MRgLITT requires only a small incision and no craniotomy.
  3. Rapid recovery: The hospital stay is significantly shortened, and postoperative recovery is faster.
  4. Safety: Real-time temperature monitoring and precise targeting technology ensure the safety and reliability of the surgery.

MRgLITT provides an efficient and minimally invasive treatment option for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, If you would like to learn more about this therapy, it is recommended to consult a specialized epilepsy treatment center for a personalized assessment and treatment plan.

Neuromodulation

For drug-resistant focal epilepsy, especially in critical brain areas or with unclear/multiple lesions, neuromodulation offers an innovative treatment. Techniques include Responsive Neurostimulation (RNS), Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). RNS, the most advanced, uniquely features brain-computer interaction. It implants electrodes in 1-2 epileptogenic regions to monitor and respond to abnormal brain activity, reducing seizures. Unlike continuous stimulation in VNS and DBS, RNS activates only when needed, minimizing side effects. Its real-time EEG monitoring enables doctors to tailor treatment dynamically, providing a personalized solution for drug-resistant epilepsy.

Other Treatments


The ketogenic diet can be considered as an adjunctive therapy. Additionally, the involvement of family members and psychological support are also crucial.