Neurosurgeons Enrique de Font-Réaulx Rojas and Javier Terrazo Lluch performed Mexico’s first stereo-electroencephalography and radiofrequency ablation procedure.
Intracranial electrodes make it possible to identify the specific brain areas causing epileptic seizures.
During the four years of the Epilepsy Surgery Program at Centro Médico ABC, 64 surgical procedures have been performed.
Mexico City, August 29, 2022.— Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological conditions, causing recurrent, spontaneous seizures that can lead to numerous neurological, cognitive, and psychosocial consequences. It accounts for a significant proportion of global morbidity, affecting more than 50 million people. Estimates show that 49 out of every 100,000 people are diagnosed with a form of epilepsy each year, a figure that can reach as high as 139 per 100,000 in low- or middle-income countries.
Proper diagnosis and classification of epilepsy make it possible to determine both the prognosis and the specific treatment required, guiding medical decisions that improve quality of life for patients and their families.
The Specialized Epilepsy Center at Centro Médico ABC provides care for patients experiencing seizures or epilepsy, specializing in comprehensive diagnostic services and surgical treatments for those with uncontrolled or drug-resistant seizures.
In certain cases of drug-resistant epilepsy, clinical history, routine electroencephalograms (EEGs), and standard imaging studies are not enough to define a surgical plan. Additional evaluations are necessary, such as Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET), Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT), or a "Phase II" evaluation, which involves implanting intracranial electrodes.
The Specialized Epilepsy Center at Centro Médico ABC is the only facility in Mexico performing stereo-electroencephalography (SEEG). This technique enables prolonged, three-dimensional recordings to map the patient’s epileptogenic network, opening up better treatment options such as focal ablations at the exact origin point of the seizures.
Neurosurgeons Enrique de Font-Réaulx Rojas and Javier Terrazo Lluch performed the first stereo-electroencephalography and radiofrequency ablation case in Mexico. During this procedure, intracranial electrodes were implanted to diagnose and treat a patient whose seizures originated in specific regions of the brain.
Dr. de Font-Réaulx shared: "Thanks to this diagnostic study, we concluded that the patient had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage prior to birth, and we identified the exact area triggering the seizures. Beyond that, we were able to treat it through the very same electrode—without open surgery and without pain—using focal radiofrequency ablation. The result was a success, and the patient has remained seizure-free."
Finally, the specialist emphasized that epilepsy must be treated as a global public health priority, particularly given the availability of preventive management and effective treatments that substantially reduce disability, morbidity, and mortality linked to the condition. It is vital for the public to be aware of the modern diagnostic and treatment options available at specialized epilepsy centers so they can seek evaluations that offer real paths to an improved quality of life.
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Fuente
1 https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/epilepsy
