Early prediction of Epileptic seizures study from NeuroVista

The Seizure Advisory System from NeuroVista is an implantable device that has successfully and correctly predicted epilepsy seizures in some adults for whom drugs have not worked. A proof of concept study, performed by researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia, involved 15 patients with an implant of electrodes between the skull and surface of the brain that measure EEG data, which are, in turn, connected to an implant under the skin of the chest. That implant transmits data to a handheld device that determines the likelihood of a seizure. And it worked with more than 65% "high warning" sensitivity in 11 of them after its initial use. For eight of those 11 patients, however, sensitivity ranged from 56% to 100% four months after activation. While the initial results are promising, more research is expected as part of longer studies involving a greater number of patients.

see The Lancet Neurology, Early Online Publication, 2 May 2013 doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(13)70075-9-"Prediction of seizure likelihood with a long-term, implanted seizure advisory system in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy: a first-in-man study."- Prof Mark J Cook MD et al.