Epilepsy: Treatment
Once epilepsy is diagnosed, it is important to begin treatment as soon as possible. For about 80 percent of patients diagnosed with epilepsy, seizures can be controlled either with prescription anti-epileptics (or anticonvulsants) or through surgical procedures.

In 1997, the FDA approved vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for use in patients with seizures. VNS is a procedure in which the doctor surgically implants a small device under the patient’s skin in the upper chest area. The device sends electrical impulses to the brain, which help to reduce the frequency of seizures.

In the most common of the other surgical options, the surgeon removes the part of the brain where the seizures occur.