Epilepsy device evaluated by FDA panel - WNCT | 9 On Your Side Greenville NC & Eastern NC News

Allison Adams has epilepsy. She used to be afraid to leave her home.

About 10 times a day she could feel a seizure coming on and medication often didn't help

Six years ago she joined a group of patients to test a new device to reduce seizures. The Neuropace MS system is implanted under the skin on the skull. It sends tiny electrical impulses to nerve cells in the Brian to stop seizures before they happen.

The device can be reprogrammed even after it's been implanted in the brain. A special laptop collects information about the patient's brain activity and doctors then use that data to make any necessary changes.

To gather that information, Alison holds this wand over her implant, and uses a computer at home to send it to her doctor about every 2 weeks. She says she now has milder symptoms, less seizures and the device gave her the confidence to have her first child.

She says she now has milder symptoms, less seizures and the device gave her the confidence to have her first child.

And while Allison will likely continue to have seizures, she says she's grateful for the improvement in her life.

While patients are not supposed to feel anything when the device sends out its tiny electrical shocks, doctors say some patients have reported seeing brief flashes of light as a side-effect of the implant.

Also as with all surgery, doctors say there is always a risk of infection while installing the implant.