Epilepsy Services

Louisville’s Comprehensive Provider of Epilepsy and Seizure Treatment

With the highest designation as a Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Norton Neuroscience Institute is the epilepsy treatment destination for Louisville and Southern Indiana. Our board-certified and fellowship-trained epilepsy specialists are at the leading edge of seizure treatment.

Our specialists have the skill and sophisticated tools to pinpoint the cause of your seizures and the expertise to determine the most effective treatment. Some patients respond well to medication, and others can benefit from the latest minimally invasive surgery options.

Expertise to Relieve Your Seizures

The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has designated Norton Neuroscience Institute as a Level 4 Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. We received the highest-level accreditation because of our providers’ experience and expertise with complex diagnostic tools and ability to perform a broad range of epilepsy surgeries.

We bring together a multidisciplinary team of physicians with fellowship training in epilepsy neurology, epilepsy neurosurgery and epilepsy neuropsychology. They provide the highest level of medical and surgical treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.

In most cases, our providers can control seizures through medication and regular check-ins. Medication isn’t effective for about one-third of patients. For some, the side effects of medications are too severe.

Epilepsy surgery may be an option if two different medications fail to control your seizures or the side effects are life altering.

Before recommending surgery, we will perform extensive testing including video monitoring at the Norton Brownsboro Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. The clinical team will review results with you to determine whether we can identify the source of your seizures and whether we can operate without damaging key areas of the brain.

Our neurosurgeons use state-of-the-art brain mapping technology to locate the cause of your seizures. Your neurosurgeon and neuropsychologist will perform extensive tests to determine whether surgery would risk causing major problems with speaking, understanding or other abilities.

Resection of Seizure Focus

Using a combination of preoperative and intraoperative brain mapping, this procedure involves removing the area of the brain that is causing seizures. As the most common type of epilepsy surgery, people often experience complete seizure control.

Minimally Invasive Brain Surgery Means Tiny Incisions and Quicker Recovery

New advances in minimally invasive surgery at Norton Neuroscience Institute means patients have the opportunity to get precision surgery with fewer side effects, and a tiny incision means less discomfort, less risk of post-operative infection and a faster recovery.

ROSA Robotic System

Our neurosurgeons use ROSA — a new robotic technology — to map the safest route through the brain to address the source of your epilepsy or movement disorders. ROSA generates a three-dimensional map of your brain, so surgeons can see structures at any angle and any depth.

With the imagery in hand, surgeons use ROSA’s robotic arm to thread tiny tools through holes the width of spaghetti noodles to the source of your seizures.

This is a less invasive approach to removing part of the skull.

Laser Ablation

Our neurosurgeons also treat epilepsy seizures using laser-generated heat to precisely target and destroy abnormal brain tissue. Your neurosurgeon uses a real-time MRI to guide a tiny laser fiber through a tiny hole in the skull to the source of your seizures.

The real-time MRI displays thermal maps to ensure targeting of the troublesome tissue while preserving nearby healthy tissue.

NeuroPace RNS System

NeuroPace is the first and only device that continuously monitors and responds to brain activity. After surgical placement,  NeuroPace detects electrical patterns in the brain that could lead to a seizure.  Then, NeuroPace delivers pulses of stimulation to stop seizures before you are aware. The stimulation typically is undetectable.  We use NeuroPace for patients when surgery to remove the source of the seizures would risk causing major problems with speaking, understanding or other abilities.

Vagus Nerve Stimulation

Implanted under the skin near the collarbone, the vagus nerve stimulator produces weak electrical signals that travel along the vagus to the brain at regular intervals. These signals help prevent the electrical bursts in the brain that cause seizures.

A battery-powered device allows patients to send an extra signal from the vagus nerve stimulator if they feel a seizure coming on.  Vagus nerve stimulation is used for patients when we can’t find the area of the brain causing the seizures.

Care That’s Focused on You

It’s part of Norton Neuroscience Institute’s goal to care for the whole person, not just the condition.

  • Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Centers offer ways to improve your access to care, provide valuable information on managing your disease and address your quality of life issues. The Norton Healthcare Foundation funds this important service, so patients don’t need to pay.
  • Dedicated patient navigators can help schedule follow-up appointments, coordinate prescription assistance, create customized diet plans and provide guidance on disability benefits, housing, financial and employment concerns and more.
  • Patients can access support groups, exercise classes and other educational events to connect with others and learn how to make the most of life while managing a neurological condition. 
  • Access an on-demand video library of educational content across a variety of condition related topics is available.
  • We want to help prevent illness. Get help quitting smoking and learn the signs of stroke.
  • Communicate with your provider, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more anytime from a computer or mobile device with a free Norton MyChart account.

A Louisville Leader in Neurological Care

More patients from Louisville and Southern Indiana seek their neurology and neurosurgery care from Norton Neuroscience Institute’s nationally recognized specialists than any other providers in the area.

Your Norton Neuroscience Institute medical provider has the expertise, experience, diagnostic tools and sophisticated treatments to provide care tailored to your needs.

  • More than 75 medical, surgical and research specialists are dedicated to providing innovative care to those with brain, spine and nervous system conditions.
  • Advanced, minimally invasive neurosurgery equipment can speed your recovery and minimize pain.
  • Multidisciplinary clinics provide easy access to care in one convenient appointment for your neurological condition, with specialists in oncology, cardiology, orthopedics and behavioral health.
  • Norton Healthcare’s four adult-service hospitals in Louisville are certified by DNV, recognizing excellence and expertise in stroke care.
    • Norton Brownsboro Hospital is recognized as a Comprehensive Stroke Center.
    • Norton Audubon Hospital and Norton Hospital are Primary Stroke Centers.
    • Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital is an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital.
  • The American Heart Association Get With the Guidelines stroke care program has recognized all four of Norton Healthcare’s adult service-hospitals in Louisville for exceeding national averages in getting patients in the door and administering lifesaving treatment to restore blood flow to the brain.
  • Norton Neuroscience Institute’s multiple sclerosis (MS) program has been designated a Center for Comprehensive MS Care by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
  • The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has recognized Norton Neuroscience Institute as a Level 4 Epilepsy Center, providing the highest level of medical and surgical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.
  • Norton Neuroscience Institute Resource Center navigators help educate patients and their families about new diagnoses, available treatments and ways to manage their disease.
  • We are listed by Becker’s Hospital Review as one of 100 great neurosurgery and spine programs.

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