Adult and pediatric epilepsy care: Advanced care for people with epilepsy and seizures

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with epilepsy and their current medications are not working, consider UW Health—home of a highly ranked team that offers every facet of treatment from dietary therapy to medication to surgery.

Our team is experienced in treating all aspects of epilepsy, and we provide a wide range of services, including surgery and special dietary therapies. The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has named us a level 4 epilepsy center — the highest level there is.

We know that epilepsy can cause physical, emotional and social challenges. We work with you to address them. 

Epilepsy is a complex condition. When you have it, decisions about treatment can be confusing. If you are currently using medications for your treatment and aren’t seeing the results you are hoping for, we can work with you on other options. These include dietary therapy, neurostimulation and surgery. Our goal is to find the treatment that will control your seizures and help you feel and function well.

This is a common surgery for epilepsy. It involves removing the front part of the temporal lobe, which is the area where seizures often originate. By removing this specific region, the surgery aims to reduce or even stop the seizures, offering the possibility of a better quality of life.

Involves removing tissue from lobes of the brain other than your temporal lobe. A surgeon identifies the specific region outside the temporal lobe that is responsible for causing seizures. They then remove or disconnect that area, aiming to prevent the abnormal electrical activity and providing a chance for a life with fewer or no seizures.

Involves disconnecting one hemisphere of the brain from the rest of the organ. It’s reserved for those with severe epilepsy whose seizures come from one side of the brain. The healthy side of the brain takes over the functions of the removed one, offering a potential reduction or elimination of seizures.

This is a minimally invasive surgery. It involves using a small fiber optic probe to deliver heat to the part of the brain causing your seizures. It’s done with MRI guidance.

Removes lesions of the brain causing seizures. An MRI identifies the lesions and assures that they can be removed safely.

This technique is used when the seizure focus is in critical areas of the brain that cannot be removed. Instead of removing the affected tissue, this procedure involves making multiple small incisions or cuts in the brain's outer layer (cortex) along the pathway of the abnormal electrical signals. By doing so, the surgeon can interrupt the spread of these signals while preserving vital brain functions.

DBS may be an option if medication isn’t working for you and other types of surgery aren’t the right treatment for your case. It involves placing electrodes in specific areas of your brain. Electrical signals from the electrodes will interfere with the brain signals causing your seizures. In many patients, this improves seizure control.

This treatment involves implanting a device somewhat like a pacemaker under your skin. It stimulates the nerve that helps your brain communicate with your major organs. This may help reduce the number of seizures you have.

RNS is a surgical treatment for epilepsy that does not require any brain tissue to be removed. Using an implanted device, seizures are detected with a goal of stopping them before they progress. The device monitors your brain waves through attached leads and when unusual activity is detected, an electric pulse is sent to that area of the brain to help prevent or shorten a seizure.

These diets are low in carbohydrates and high in fats. They’ve been shown to lower the number of seizures some people have.

This is the ketogenic diet used most often for adults. It limits net carbohydrates to 20 grams per day. It encourages fats such as olive oil, avocados, butter, heavy cream, nuts, and seeds.

Medication

A number of medicines may help control seizures. If the medicines you are currently taking are not working, we'll work with you to find ones that may be more effective.

A team of specialists will take part in your care. Each has their own expertise. Some team members focus on your diagnosis. Others offer unique therapies and advanced procedures to treat epilepsy. They combine their knowledge and skill to care for you in body and mind.

We are the only Level 4 epilepsy center in Madison and one of only two Level 4 centers for adults in Wisconsin. When your doctor refers you to us, you get the most advanced testing and treatment that exists. It’s care that few other places offer.

  • University Hospital Epilepsy Clinic (Neurosurgery)
    • 600 Highland Ave / Madison, WI
    • (608) 915-0900
  • University Hospital Pediatric Epilepsy Clinic
    • 600 Highland Ave / Madison, WI
    • (608) 890-6500
  • University Hospital Epilepsy Clinic (Neurology)
    • 600 Highland Ave / Madison, WI
    • (608) 263-5442