Billy Whitaker, 15, is apparently the first patient suffering from epilepsy to have complete cure.
Billy suffered from seizures since he was eight and undergone a surgery back in 2014 to remove the seizure-causing part of the brain. After a year the boy suffered from bouts of seizure which was barely controllable.
Neurosurgeons in the UK used a novel sat-nav robot worth £350,000 that can drill out the seizure tissue by implanting flat metal discs (electrodes) deep into the boy's brain that produced a 3D map. With this novel technology the surgeons could remove a very small piece of seizure-causing tissue, according to the Telegraph.
The robotic stereotactic EEG is coupled with an innovative technology along with high-precision image guidance. The electrodes used in this case help the brain cells to communicate through electric pulses even when the brain is asleep.
This is a spot-on technique and is believed to be safer than the conventional invasive methods that are used to localize seizures.
It has been two weeks since the surgery was performed and Billy has not reported any seizures. The doctors believe it to be good sign and they are confident that the boy has been cured completely and will now be seizure free.
The neurosurgeons created a 3D map of Billy's brain and the boy underwent recording under close observation by the doctors. Electrodes were screwed on the boy's scalp that can pick up signals. During that period the normal medications were stopped to allow seizures, which gave him nine bouts of seizures over three days.
The seizures helped the electrodes to pick up the signals through the sensors and it could pinpoint the exact problematic location in his brain that caused the seizures.
The neurosurgeons performed the surgery after a week and removed a finger-tip-sized part of the boy's brain with the help of the 3D image.
Billy is still recovering in Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and is keen on restarting his sport activities.
