A significant development in the medical community occurred in the United Kingdom. A special device was implanted in the skull of a 13-year-old child named Oran Knowlson, who is suffering from epilepsy, to control seizures. This operation is recorded as a first worldwide. According to a BBC report, the 8-hour operation, carried out at Great Ormond Street Hospital, implanted this special device into Knowlson. Knowlson was battling a type of epilepsy known as Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, experiencing between 20 to 100 seizures daily.
Major Decrease in Epileptic Seizures: 80% Reduction
Observations after the operation showed that there was an 80% reduction in the child’s daytime epileptic seizures. His mother stated that there was a significant improvement in his quality of life and that he felt much better. The implant aims to reduce these seizures by blocking abnormal electrical activity in the brain with steady current pulses.
This project was a collaboration between Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London, King’s College Hospital, and Oxford University, while the development of the implant was undertaken by Amber Therapeutics. The device, known as Picostim, is a neurotransmitter that blocks abnormal brain signals, aiming to improve the patients’ quality of life. This innovative treatment method not only changes the life of Oran Knowlson but also offers new hopes for many others facing similar health issues.