Epilepsy disrupts life's rhythms and routines, affecting patients personally and often profoundly. At Sutter's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, we understand that epilepsy is a long-term challenge that can shape the quality of a patient and family's life. Our goal is to provide effective, extensive treatment options in a safe and nurturing environment that supports emotional, as well as the physical, well being.

Care begins with advanced testing that precisely pinpoints the cause and location of seizures within the brain. Treatment matches the patient's unique condition and is augmented with a strong system of patient and family support. The program combines medical and surgical care to ensure each patient receives a treatment mix best suited to the diagnosis.

The nature of epilepsy means that patients and program staff have the opportunity to get to know one another over time and form close bonds of trust and friendship. Unlike most medical programs, the family-like atmosphere promotes interaction and provides patients and families with a place to turn for questions, information and ongoing encouragement.


About Epilepsy

Because electrical impulses from the brain direct the body's voluntary and involuntary activities, our bodies can be compared to complex electrical systems that must be regulated to operate properly. In the same way that our home's lighting, appliances and high-tech equipment requires a reliable and stable level of electricity to function well, our bodies require the consistent impulses to keep a steady flow of movement.

When a disturbance in the brain's electrical system sends impulses that are too strong or weak, or sends them at the wrong times, these electrical disturbances or outbursts in the brain cause seizures, which can be classified as a change in sensation, awareness or behavior.

The area of the brain affected, the extent of the electrical malfunction within the brain and other considerations can affect the frequency and severity of seizures and how well they respond to treatment.

Only half of the 2.3 million people affected by epilepsy can identify the reason electrical malfunctions began, though epilepsy can come about following a stroke, brain injury, tumor or infection. When traditional antiepileptic medications prove ineffective or cause intolerable side effects, the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program zeroes in on the region of the brain involved and the exact extent of involvement. From that precise diagnosis, the multidisciplinary team finely tunes a customized treatment plan for each patient.

Extensive information on epilepsy can be found in the epilepsy topic of our Health Information library and from the National Institute of Health's National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (www.ninds.nih.gov) and the Epilepsy Foundation (www.epilepsyfoundation.org).