HJNO Jul/Aug 2019

48 JUL / AUG 2019 I  Healthcare Journal of NEW ORLEANS column CHILDREN’S HEALTH Pediatric Robotic Procedure Proves First Treatment to Successfully Eliminate Seizures in Some Epilepsy Patients Louisiana’s children now have ac- cess to improved treatment for intrac- table seizures. The ROSA surgical robot at Children’s Hospital New Orleans is a life-changing technology made possible with funds raised by the hospital’s 2018 Sugarplum Ball. This new generation of robotic technology helps surgeons iden- tify the source of seizures more precisely, safely, and efficiently, resulting in reduced surgery and recovery times, and ultimate- ly, improved outcomes and patient experi- ence. Nineteen year-old Hunter Langley has been under the care of neurologists at Chil- dren’s Hospital for years. Diagnosed with epilepsy, Hunter suffered between 3-12 sei- zures daily. Doctors tried unsuccessfully to reduce Hunter’s seizures with medication and nerve stimulation. Hunter’s case was particularly challenging because on MRI, there was no discernable lesion that would allow doctors to pinpoint the cause of the seizures. In the past, no further treatment op- tions would have been available, and Hunter would have continued to experi- ence frequent seizures. But now, with the ROSA surgical robot, there is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat epilep- sy. Using ROSA, surgeons have a comput- er-guided, minimally-invasive technology to treat children like Hunter who have se- vere epilepsy conditions. Earlier this year, neurosurgeon Dr. Je- rome Volk and neurologist Dr. Jeremy Tol- er of LSU Health New Orleans and Chil- dren’s Hospital presented Hunter’s case at Cleveland Clinic, where a team of peers agreed that Hunter was an excellent candi- date for the ROSA procedure. Without robotic technology, the only surgical options involve exposing the brain via craniotomy, an invasive pro- cedure with significant risks. Now, with ROSA, surgeons can direct the robotic arm to secure small anchors and place 1.8 mm electrodes to record information from the brain for 5-14 days.  This is an excellent treatment option when a lesion is undetectable via imaging, or when there are multiple lesions. The data collected via the leads are then used to help identify the exact location of the le- Children from across the state of Louisiana and surrounding regions now have access to the life-changing ROSA surgical robot that uses computer-guided, mini- mally invasive technolo- gy to treat children with severe epilepsy condi- tions.