<p>London: A schoolboy from south-west England has made medical history as the first in the world with severe epilepsy to trial a new device fitted in his skull to control seizures, it was reported on Monday.</p><p>The neurostimulator, which sends electrical signals deep into his brain, has reduced Oran Knowlson’s daytime seizures by 80 per cent.</p><p>Oran has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy which he developed at the age of three. Since then he has suffered several daily seizures ranging from two dozen to hundreds, the BBC reported.</p>.Patients with epilepsy break barriers in solidarity.<p>The surgery, which lasted around eight hours, took place in October 2023. It was part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital here when Oran, who is now 13, was 12.</p><p>The surgery was part of a trial in partnership with University College London, King’s College Hospital and the University of Oxford.</p><p>Epilepsy seizures are triggered by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain.</p><p>The device, which emits a constant pulse of current, aims to block or disrupt abnormal signals.</p><p>His mother, Justine, told the BBC he was happier and had a “much better quality of life”.</p><p>“We’ve seen a big improvement, seizures have reduced and are less severe. He’s a lot more chatty, he’s more engaged. He’s turned 13 and I definitely now have a teenager – he’s happy to tell me no. But that adds to his quality of life when he can express himself better,” she said.</p><p>Consultant paediatric neurosurgeon Martin Tisdall said: "We are delighted that Oran and his family have seen such a huge benefit from the treatment and that it has dramatically improved his seizures and quality of life."</p><p>Oran is part of the CADET (Children’s Adaptive Deep brain stimulation for epilepsy trial) project, external – a series of trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for severe epilepsy.</p><p>The Picostim neurotransmitter is made by UK company Amber Therapeutics. It sits under the skull and sends electrical signals deep into the brain, reducing his daytime seizures</p><p>The CADET pilot will now recruit three additional patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, with a view to 22 patients being recruited to take part in a full trial.</p>
<p>London: A schoolboy from south-west England has made medical history as the first in the world with severe epilepsy to trial a new device fitted in his skull to control seizures, it was reported on Monday.</p><p>The neurostimulator, which sends electrical signals deep into his brain, has reduced Oran Knowlson’s daytime seizures by 80 per cent.</p><p>Oran has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a treatment-resistant form of epilepsy which he developed at the age of three. Since then he has suffered several daily seizures ranging from two dozen to hundreds, the BBC reported.</p>.Patients with epilepsy break barriers in solidarity.<p>The surgery, which lasted around eight hours, took place in October 2023. It was part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital here when Oran, who is now 13, was 12.</p><p>The surgery was part of a trial in partnership with University College London, King’s College Hospital and the University of Oxford.</p><p>Epilepsy seizures are triggered by abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain.</p><p>The device, which emits a constant pulse of current, aims to block or disrupt abnormal signals.</p><p>His mother, Justine, told the BBC he was happier and had a “much better quality of life”.</p><p>“We’ve seen a big improvement, seizures have reduced and are less severe. He’s a lot more chatty, he’s more engaged. He’s turned 13 and I definitely now have a teenager – he’s happy to tell me no. But that adds to his quality of life when he can express himself better,” she said.</p><p>Consultant paediatric neurosurgeon Martin Tisdall said: "We are delighted that Oran and his family have seen such a huge benefit from the treatment and that it has dramatically improved his seizures and quality of life."</p><p>Oran is part of the CADET (Children’s Adaptive Deep brain stimulation for epilepsy trial) project, external – a series of trials assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for severe epilepsy.</p><p>The Picostim neurotransmitter is made by UK company Amber Therapeutics. It sits under the skull and sends electrical signals deep into the brain, reducing his daytime seizures</p><p>The CADET pilot will now recruit three additional patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, with a view to 22 patients being recruited to take part in a full trial.</p>