First-Ever Epilepsy Device Implanted in Boy's Skull
Epilepsy seizures happen due to abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain.
A boy with severe epilepsy, Oran Knowlson, has become the first person in the world to have a new device implanted in his skull to control seizures.
This neurostimulator sends electrical signals deep into Oran’s brain, reducing his daytime seizures by 80%.
His mother, Justine, told the BBC that Oran is now happier and has a “much better quality of life.”
Oran, who is 13 years old, had the surgery in October as part of a trial at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London when he was 12.
He was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe and treatment-resistant form of epilepsy, at the age of three.
Oran has had daily seizures ranging from dozens to hundreds since his diagnosis.
Before the surgery, Justine described how Oran’s epilepsy dominated his life, saying it had “robbed him of all of his childhood.” She detailed his various seizures, including ones that caused him to fall, shake uncontrollably, lose consciousness, and sometimes stop breathing, requiring emergency resuscitation.
Oran also has autism and ADHD, but Justine says epilepsy is his biggest challenge. She mentioned that after his seizures started, Oran rapidly lost many skills.
Oran is part of the CADET project, which tests the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for severe epilepsy. This project involves Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London, King’s College Hospital, and the University of Oxford.
The device, called Picostim, is made by Amber Therapeutics, a UK-based startup. It emits a steady pulse of current to prevent or stop abnormal brain signals.
Before the surgery, Justine expressed hope for Oran to regain some of his abilities lost to seizures, saying, “I want him to find some of himself again through the haze of seizures. I’d like to get my boy back.”
The surgery, lasting about eight hours, took place in October 2023. Led by consultant pediatric neurosurgeon Martin Tisdall, the team inserted two electrodes deep into Oran’s brain, reaching the thalamus, a key brain relay station. The placement of these leads had a margin of error of less than a millimeter.
The electrodes were connected to the neurostimulator, a small device implanted into a gap in Oran’s skull where bone was removed, anchoring it securely in place.
