Bengaluru hospital performs Karnataka’s first targeted DBS surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy

Bengaluru, May 26 (PTI) Karnataka’s first targeted Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat drug-resistant epilepsy was recently performed by a Bengaluru-based hospital, said doctors involved in the procedure on Monday.

Dr Raghuram G, Additional Director of Neurosurgery at Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, who led the surgery, said the patient was a 21-year-old male from Yemen who had been battling uncontrollable seizures for over 12 years.

The patient was discharged within four days of the procedure and has shown remarkable improvement, with no seizures reported post-surgery, the doctor added.

He was assisted by Dr Guruprasad Hosurkar, Additional Director of Neurology.

Explaining the procedure, Raghuram said DBS is a precise and delicate one.

"During the surgery, we placed thin wires (called electrodes) deep inside the brain. These were positioned in an area called the Centromedian Nucleus, which helps control seizures. A guiding frame was used to ensure safe and accurate placement," said Raghuram.

According to him, the wires were then connected to a small, battery-powered device—similar to a pacemaker for the brain—which was implanted under the skin in the chest.

"This device sends gentle electrical signals to help stop the abnormal brain activity that causes seizures," he added.

Hosurkar said the patient had a complex form of epilepsy that did not respond to medications, even after years of treatment.

"Since the seizures originated from multiple areas of the brain, removing a single part wasn’t a viable option. That’s why we opted for DBS," he said. PTI JR SSK