DE KALB –Join S. Kathleen Bandt, MD, Northwestern Medicine epilepsy surgeon, as she presents an overview of current treatment options for medication-resistant epilepsy, discusses the indications for each option, and reviews the quality of life benefits from surgery for epilepsy.

The complimentary community wellness program will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18 at the Roberts Conference Center at Kishwaukee Hospital, DeKalb.

One of the advances in epilepsy care that Bandt will discuss is the use of a responsive neurostimulator (RNS), which acts like a cardiac pacemaker, but in the brain. 

“It’s conceptually unlike anything we’ve been doing over the last few decades, and it’s brought in patients who can finally be evaluated for surgery after decades of being told they weren’t surgical candidates,” Bandt said.

Additionally, the field has seen advances in minimally invasive techniques for epilepsy surgery and diagnostics. Laser ablation may be an option to treat brain tissue that is causing seizures without actually removing tissue from the brain. Further, a minimally invasive seizure diagnostic study, called stereo-EEG, may be performed by inserting electrodes through tiny holes in the skull.

To register online visit the Classes & Programs page at kishprograms.org. For additional information, contact the Community Wellness Coordinator at (815) 748-8962.