Cuba Presents Advances in Epilepsy Research

HAVANA, Cuba, April 16 (acn) Cuba’s advances in epilepsy research will be shown on Wednesday at the Neurocuba 2009 Congress underway in this capital, with the participation of experts from 15 nations of Europe and the Americas.

Standing out among its achievements is surgery in refractory epilepsy (resistant to medication), a method that has benefited 25 Cubans with excellent results.

With this functional surgery, which makes it possible to map the electric activity of the brain during surgery to define the extension of the resection, patient crises are reduced to minimum with fewer medicines, which improves their quality of life.

The head of Clinical Neurophysiology Services of Havana’s International Center for Neurological Restoration (CIREN), Dr. Liliam Morales, told ACN that the surgical procedure began to be used in the country five years ago with the cooperation of Mexican experts, who work along with
Cubans in various studies, among them some on electrophysiology.

Besides Cuba and Mexico, surgery on epilepsy is carried out in Argentina and Chile, recognized by the International League against Epilepsy.

Experts from Mexico and CIREN continue their research work on this ailment, which consists in working on tissue removed from patients who have undergone surgery, with the purpose of defining the origin of the disease, which is resistant to drugs.

Statistics confirm that epilepsy affects up to 3% of the world population, and that almost 20% of the total of people suffering from this chronic disease of the nervous system (seizures) does not respond satisfactorily to pharmacological therapy, pointed out Dr. Morales.

Wednesday’s program includes minimum access surgery, the handling and treatment of tumors on the base of the skull, current themes and approaches in spine surgery and the experiences of ICTUS units (to take care of patients with acute vascular encephalic manifestations) which
have allowed Cuba to reduce morbid-mortality due to brain-vascular problems.

(Expondrá Cuba avances de investigaciones en la epilepsia)