75% of epilepsy cases appear in childhood. Most affected children can improve their quality of life if they are diagnosed accurately and prescribed the appropriate treatment.
The SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is a benchmark centre for the diagnosis and treatment of childhood drug-refractory epilepsy, with CSUR accreditation from the Spanish Ministry of Health. A highly specialised team of 4 epileptologists, 4 neurosurgeons specialising in epilepsy, 3 neuroradiologists, 2 neuropsychologists and a nursing team specifically dedicated to the Unit. We are one of the few centres in Spain that also has three monitoring beds for paediatric patients with epilepsy, enabling us to provide our patients with the highest quality care.
Patients with drug-refractory focal epilepsies may be candidates for surgical treatment. In the Epilepsy Unit, pre-surgical studies are carried out using the the newest techniques (functional neuroimaging, intracranial electrodes, etc.) to try to locate as accurately as possible the origin of the epilepsy, reducing the risk of post-surgical sequelae. Regarding the surgical approach, there is the possibility to perform resective surgery (removal of the epileptogenic focus), disconnective surgery (parieto-temporo-occipital hemispheriotomy and callosotomy), laser ablation (removal of the epileptogenic focus) and vagal stimulation or vagus nerve stimulation.
The Epilepsy Unit also performs the follow-up of patients with drug-refractory epilepsies without surgical indication (epileptic encephalopathies, generalized or multifocal epilepsies, focal epilepsies with involvement of eloquent regions). After a diagnostic assessment, in some cases palliative treatments are proposed, which include both the latest developments in antiepileptic drugs and other types of therapies (ketogenic diet, vagal stimulation).
Doctors from different specialties discuss each patient case-by-case. Additionally, we maintain a stable healthcare, teaching and research partnership with Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and with the Paediatric Epilepsy Unit of the University Hospital of Lyon, the largest in Europe. We prepare our teenage patients for the moment when they are to be treated at an adults' centre and we perform follow-up when they turn eighteen.
We provide the following services
Advanced technology
We have the most advanced technology for diagnosing and treating children and adolescents with epilepsy: continuous monitoring with a video electroencephalography (video EEG); structural neuroimaging (1.5 and 3 Tesla cerebral MR) and functional neuroimaging (PET, SPECT/SISCOM, functional MRI) techniques; metabolic diagnosis laboratory and genomic diagnostic platform.
Pharmacotherapy
Today there are drugs that are very effective for treating epilepsy. But in order to determine the most appropriate treatment in each case, it is important to have proper experience in accurately diagnosing which type of epilepsy is involved and the specific aspects of each case.
Dietary treatment
The ketogenic diet is a treatment that is complementary to drug treatment. It consists of a diet rich in fats and low in sugars, resulting in a state of ketosis which helps to improve seizure control. When our team considers this diet to be indicated, it works with the team of dieticians and nutritionists in the Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition department.
Surgery
Some epilepsies do not respond to drugs but must be treated with surgery. Our multidisciplinary team assesses whether this might be the best option for the child. Our specialists perform accurate pre-surgery evaluations to determine which surgical option is best for each child.
Surgical specialties
Surgical techniques for diagnostic or curativ purposes
Implantation of intracranial electrodes
It is not covered by public health
Surgical removal of epilepsy focus
It is not covered by public health
Hemispherotomy
It is not covered by public health
Laser thermal ablation
It is not covered by public health
Surgical techniques for palliative care
Callosotomy
It is not covered by public health
Electric neurostimulation
It is not covered by public health
Our leading medical specialists
Our experience
At the forefront of knowledge
Currently the SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital is managing 3 research investigation´s projects related to children´s and adolescent´s epilepsy. We also carry out the clinical trials to study the efficacy and safety of antiepileptic drugs.