At least once a week, Jane Price dresses up as a clown and visits hospitals and nursing homes in Gardendale, Ala., where she lives. A clown can bring patients a touch of joy. She has epilepsy, and no medication was able to treat it successfully. She used to have 10 to 20 seizures per month, but five years ago, her doctor encouraged her to look into surgery.
Price is one of the lucky ones.
Md. And the results of surgery for epilepsy are unpredictable. Still, for patients who aren't helped by medications, it may be the treatment of choice. Md. Epilepsy refers to a whole group of nervous system disorders that cause repeated seizures. These seizures can take many forms, ranging from subtle, uncontrollable twitching to convulsive movements and loss of consciousness. Epilepsy has many possible causes, such as brain injuries and tumors.