First Patient Treated in Epilepsy Clinical Trial

Potential New Treatment for Epilepsy Using Focused Ultrasound First patient enrolled in clinical trial  VIDEO: Dr. Krishna discusses the trial >   Researchers at the Ohio State University College of Medicine have begun a clinical trial investigating the use of focused ultrasound to control a specific type of epilepsy in adult patients. Up to 10 patients with medication-refractory lobe focal onset epilepsy will be enrolled in this study, which is funded by the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. Patients will receive transcranial focused ultrasound therapy to ablate (or destroy) a specific part of the brain involved in epilepsy.  “We’re pursuing this clinical trial because we know there’s a large unmet clinical need. More than 20 million people worldwide live with uncontrollable seizures because no available treatment works for them,” said neurosurgeon Dr. Vibhor Krishna, who is leading the study at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and Ohio State’s Neurological Institute. “Our goals are to test the safety of this procedure and study changes in seizure frequency in these patients.”  “This is an important step in the evolution of focused ultrasound as a mainstream therapy for disorders affecting the brain,” said Foundation Chairman Neal F. Kassell, MD. “Ultimately, the results of this study could lead to new, more effective therapies for certain patients with epilepsy.” Patients who are interested in participating in this trial should contact Angela Emerson, MPH, at (614) 685-3141 or angela.emerson@osumc.edu. Read The Ohio State University's Release >   Additional Focused Ultrasound Trials for Epilepsy There is a clinical trial ongoing at the University of Virginia for medication-refractory epilepsy with subcortical focal lesions. For more information, see the trial’s listing on clinicaltrials.gov or contact Stacy Thompson (434-982-4315 or SRC2H@hscmail.mcc.virginia.edu). Another trial at the University of California Los Angeles is addressing medication-refractory epilepsy in patients with subcortical lesions. For more information, see the trial’s listing on clinicaltrials.gov or contact Alex Korb, PhD (323-510-7532 or alexkorb@ucla.edu)