South Carolina’s only Level 4 epilepsy center provides thousands of pediatric and adult epilepsy patients each year with advanced diagnostics, multidisciplinary planning and the full spectrum of therapies, including all advanced surgical procedures. MUSC has a long history of diagnosing and treating the nearly two percent of South Carolinians who have epilepsy.

Patient Care: Multidisciplinary pediatric and adult epilepsy expertise
Neurology
Neurosurgery
Neuroimaging
Neuropsychology
Neurophysiology
Psychiatry
Nursing
Speech/language pathology
Social work
Research

State-of-the-art diagnostics
Monitoring and imaging modalities include EEG, functional MRI, CT, as well as nuclear technologies like SPECT and PET. The multidisciplinary treatment team evaluates this diagnostic data in regular meetings to develop the most effective plan of care for each patient.

MUSC’s eight-bed epilepsy inpatient unit offers the latest digital monitoring and video capabilities to quickly and efficiently develop a definitive diagnosis for patients who do not respond to first-line therapies. Seizure activity is captured and evaluated in a fraction of the time required in non-dedicated environments.

Leading-edge therapy

• Advanced medical management
• Surgical resection
• Neurogenic device implants

The overall treatment goal is to eliminate epilepsy in each patient’s life, often removing a barrier that has compromised every aspect of living for years. Dedicated epilepsy nursing and social work help ensure excellent case management and compliance, as well as a smooth transition to life-after-epilepsy.

Surgical criteria
To be considered for surgery, a patient typically has failed one or two attempts at medical management with anti-epilepsy drugs. In addition, monitoring and imaging must identify a focused source of seizure onset that is located in an area of the brain that can be safely resected.

Advanced surgical capabilities especially offer hope to refractory patients diagnosed with focal disease — many patients have become seizure-free.

Education
MUSC’s epilepsy services extend far beyond advanced diagnosis and treatment.  One of the center’s biggest missions is to educate the community about this stigmatized disorder.

Research
Cutting-edge work includes grant-funded studies, collaborative partnerships and industry-sponsored clinical trials, all aimed at finding causes and cures. From a triple-phase assessment process with leading-edge technology to breakthrough medical and surgical treatments, the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program is poised to deliver improved outcomes for patients, physicians and families experiencing epilepsy.

Level 4 epilepsy center 
The MUSC Comprehensive Epilepsy Program is South Carolina’s first and only to earn a Level 4 designation from the National Association of Epilepsy Centers. The highest designation, Level 4 status means MUSC provides the most complete range of evaluations and treatments for epilepsy, including complex surgery.

The National Association of Epilepsy Centers has established referral guidelines for seizure disorders. According to these guidelines:

Delayed or denied referral may be detrimental to a patient’s health, safety and quality of life. If seizures are not brought under control after three months of care by a primary care provider (family physician, pediatrician), further neurologic intervention by a neurologist, or an epilepsy center is appropriate.

A patient whose seizures have not been brought under control after 12 months of care by a general neurologist should insist upon a referral to a specialized epilepsy center with an epileptologist.