SSM Neurosciences Institute at DePaul Health Center features a two-bed Epilepsy Monitoring Unit (EMU). Under the medical direction of Dr. Daniel Mattson, a board-certified neurologist fellowship trained in epilepsy treatment, this specialized unit is one of only a handful in St. Louis.
The EMU helps doctors diagnose or rule out epilepsy in people who have experienced a seizure or in whom the diagnosis is uncertain. It also serves patients already diagnosed with epilepsy, but who may need adjustments to their medications or adjunctive therapies, such as vagal nerve stimulators or epilepsy surgery.
EMU patients are connected to an advanced electroencephalogram (EEG) system that uses Blue Tooth technology, allowing the patient to move around freely while still being monitored. A technician monitors the patient around the clock and records the patient on video as well.
Most patients are monitored in the hospital for two to seven days to determine the frequency of seizures and where they are occurring in the brain. This helps physicians design the most effective treatment.
Epilepsy is a medical condition that makes people susceptible to recurrent seizures. These seizures — which can present with many different symptoms — result from brief, but strong, surges of electrical activity in the brain.
For more information about the EMU and epilepsy treatment, call 314-344-6000.