Imad Najm, MD: Deep Brain Stimulation and Selection Criteria for Patients with Epilepsy

“Well I think DBS as a new treatment modality for epilepsy is exciting because despite all of the advances we’ve had over the last 20 years, there is a sizeable group of patients who continue to suffer from recurrent seizures, recurrent disabling seizures, despite everything we do.”

At the American Epilepsy Society’s annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, NeurologyLive sat with the Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Epilepsy Center, Imad Najm, MD, to discuss the importance of patient selection for deep brain stimulation, as well as the clinic’s plans to utilize this new therapy option.

At the American Epilepsy Society’s annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, NeurologyLive sat with the Director of Cleveland Clinic’s Epilepsy Center, Imad Najm, MD, to discuss the importance of patient selection for deep brain stimulation, as well as the clinic’s plans to utilize this new treatment modality for epilepsy.

Najm explains that deep brain stimulation is exciting because despite all of the advances over the last 20 years, there is a substantial number of patients that continue to suffer from recurrent seizures and deep brain stimulation may give clinicians and patients that hope.

However, Najm stresses the importance for clinicians to damper their excitement and be deliberate in the selection of these patients, providing strict follow-up in order to learn about the successes and adjust the failures to hopefully refine the candidates for the placement of deep brain stimulation in the next 6-12 months. By refining the selection criteria, this may lead to greater success for the right patients.