Ground-breaking epilepsy device provides relief to patient

Responsive neurostimulator implant procedure performed for only second time in Colorado

Sharon Hostetter had unexplained seizures that were frightening. But Danielle McDermott, MD, a neurologist and epileptologist with Colorado Permanente Medical Group, wanted to find out what was happening, and whether Hostetter even had epilepsy.

Epilepsy affects people of all ages and is the fourth most common neurological disorder. Patients with epilepsy have a predisposition toward seizures.

Dr. McDermott invited Hostetter to spend five days under close observation in an Epilepsy Monitoring Unit. After the observation, Dr. McDermott diagnosed her with epilepsy in both the right and left temporal lobes. She recommended Hostetter have a responsive neurostimulator implanted in her head in late 2015, which would help study wave patterns of the brain and help to reduce the seizures.

This was only the second time this procedure was performed in Colorado.

View this video to learn more about the device and how Dr. McDermott helped to provide Hostetter with some answers and make a difference in her life.