A teenager from Scotland is set to have a seizure-free Christmas for the first time thanks to a life-changing surgery. Angus Bain, 13, shared how he was feeling after undergoing a laser brain surgery.
Teenager Boy To Celebrate Seizure-Free Christmas For The First Time
Angus Bain has experienced crippling epileptic episodes every Christmas for the previous 13 years of his life. The 17-year-old, however, is hoping for a seizure-free holiday season this year after having life-altering laser brain surgery just 11 weeks prior.
According to him, his epileptic episodes seem to have been almost completely eradicated by the groundbreaking technique, even after years of suffering nearly weekly seizures.
He said the surgery was "amazing," and he was positive that it could change his life forever by enabling him to do the things that he previously couldn't do due to his health condition.
"I've never had such a long period not having a seizure, it's an amazing relief. I'm so happy," Angus told BBC Scotland News. "Christmas is a big occasion and now it will be even bigger this year."
At the age of 4, Angus, a resident of Gateside, Fife, was diagnosed with epilepsy. His convulsions are so intense that they incapacitate him for several days.
At the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh in October, a laser was used to remove a portion of his brain that was causing the episodes.
It is hoped that once his brain heals from the surgery, he won't experience seizures, but it will take a year for him to stop taking the powerful medication.
Nicki Bain, 48, stated that his epilepsy episodes have dominated their lives since his diagnosis. He had undergone numerous tests, had wires inserted into his skull, brain stimulation, and a lot of extremely strong medication.
"The build-up to him having a seizure would last a few days, then after the seizure it would take another couple of days for him to recover, so I don't think he's ever actually had a normal day," his mom shared. "He would say, 'I just want to get rid of my epilepsy and get on with my life.'"
Epilepsy Medicine - Laser Ablation Surgery
Laser ablation (LAY-zer ab-LAY-shun) surgery is a therapy to eliminate lesions and tumors. An MRI-guided laser probe is used to kill undesirable cells, and it applies heat and light.
When doing surgery on a child, neurosurgeons utilize an innovative surgical instrument called ROSA Brain to insert a narrow laser probe into the child's brain. During the procedure, your child will be placed in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanner, allowing surgeons to use real-time images to put the probe down to the millimeter precisely. Surgeons look at a computer screen that displays the precise region and amount of heat being applied.
Laser ablation surgery has fewer side effects and is safer and more precise than traditional surgery. The head is opened during conventional surgery, and tissue is taken out. That might not be achievable if they must operate deep in the brain.
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