Physicians at Florida Hospital for Children Cure Girl of Seizures

Epilepsy Physicians at Florida Hospital for Children Cure 15-Year-Old of Seizures

Nationally Renowned Physicians Come Together to Create New Program and Save Patients' Lives

ORLANDO, Fla., December 9, 2011 - When 15-year-old Kaylene Pollock imagined how she would spend the holiday season, she never thought she would be recovering from brain surgery to cure life-threatening seizures. However, after epilepsy specialists at Florida Hospital for Children performed a new cutting-edge procedure using the latest technology, Kaylene is now seizure free.

 "We had no idea what we were going to do when we got the phone call that Kaylene suffered a major seizure at school," said Shanee Pollock, Kaylene's mother. "Everything happened so fast but we feel so blessed to have found Dr. Lee and Dr. Baumgartner at Florida Hospital for Children. They truly saved my daughter's life."

Florida Hospital for Children recently launched the Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center which is comprised of two nationally-renowned epilepsy specialists with over 45 years experience: pediatric epileptologist Dr. Ki Hyong Lee and pediatric epilepsy neurosurgeon Dr. James Baumgartner. The Pediatric Epilepsy Center at Florida Hospital for Children also houses some of the most advanced technology in the world, including an intraoperative MRI and CT, to provide patients with the best care possible.

Upon arriving at Florida Hospital for Children, Kaylene underwent a surgery to map her brain. During this procedure, Dr. Baumgartner placed electrodes on Kaylene's brain, which would be used to exactly pinpoint which part of the brain was causing Kaylene's seizures. They medical team also discovered a golf-ball sized tumor pressing on her brain in a different location from the seizures were originating. By mapping her brain, the surgeons could evaluate how to best remove the tumor, cure her seizures and minimize any future surgeries or long-term side effects.

 "We were able to use the best technology available to evaluate Kaylene before removing her tumor or treating her epilepsy because it is so important to know exactly what her brain her is doing," said Dr. Lee, the medical director of The Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center at Florida Hospital for Children. "Some would assume that the tumor was causing her seizures but that isn't the case. Each person is very unique and by utilizing top-of-the-line technology, we can customize the best care for each patient to make sure we are treating the true source of the seizures."

Several weeks post-surgery, Kaylene is still seizure free and can resume her normal life.

"I never thought I would suffer from seizures, but I am so glad the doctors were able to find the problem and fix it," said Kaylene.  "It's now Christmas time and I feel so blessed to have been cured of my seizures."

The Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center is on track to become one of the largest epilepsy programs in the nation, specializing in treating drug-resistant epilepsy with surgical and alternative treatments. The center features state-of-the-art surgical equipment and imaging technology, including an intraoperative 3-Tesla MRI and 40-Slice CT scanner with capabilities to move through connecting walls to take live images during surgery.

Surgical Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Dr. Baumgartner said the advanced technology, including the intraoperative CT and MRI, available at the center will increase precision and accuracy in the surgical and medical treatment of epilepsy, providing patients with the best chances to avoid neurological deficits that can sometimes occur after epilepsy treatment.

 "It is crucial for surgeons to have the most technologically advanced diagnostic and surgical equipment to provide the best possible treatment for the children fighting this disease," said Dr. Baumgartner. "What we are creating at Florida Hospital for Children will do just that. This guidance technology will allow us the highest level of precision."

Additionally, a 24-hour-a-day, 7-days-a-week epilepsy monitoring unit will allow the pediatric epilepsy specialists to study patients' seizure activity, improving the accuracy of diagnosis and effectiveness of treatments.  Exploring non-traditional treatments of epilepsy, Dr. Lee advocates the incorporation of alternative therapies, such as the ketogenic diet treatment that involves eating a high-fat diet to prevent epileptic seizures.

"It is important to examine different options for epilepsy treatment, especially when the child is resistant to more traditional treatment methods or cannot tolerate the side effects of medication," said Dr. Lee. "The Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center looks at each patient's case individually, and then provides parents with the best plan of treatment specific to their child's needs."

For media inquiries only, contact Florida Hospital Media Relations at 407-303-8217.

www.floridahospitalnews.com

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