Four patients cured of drug-resistant gelastic seizures using advanced stereotactic radiofrequency ablation
Jaipur: In a major medical breakthrough, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur has successfully performed minimally invasive stereotactic radiofrequency ablation surgeries on four patients suffering from hypothalamic hamartoma, a rare condition that causes gelastic seizures—commonly known as “laughing epilepsy.”
With this achievement, AIIMS Jodhpur has become the only hospital in Rajasthan and the second AIIMS in India to offer this highly specialized and advanced treatment.
Advanced technique brings new hope
The patients, most of them children, were experiencing 10 to 20 seizure episodes daily, severely impacting their quality of life. Doctors used a highly precise, computer-guided stereotactic frame-based technique to target the lesion deep inside the brain.
Through a small incision of about one inch, the seizure-causing tissue was safely ablated, eliminating the need for open brain surgery. This minimally invasive approach significantly reduces risk, pain, and recovery time.
Excellent outcomes with zero complications
All four patients responded remarkably well to the procedure. According to official sources, there were no complications reported, and the patients were discharged within 48 hours. Most importantly, they are now completely seizure-free, highlighting the effectiveness and safety of the treatment.
Expert team behind the success
The neurological assessment and presurgical evaluation were conducted by Dr Samhita Panda and Dr Lokesh Saini, while MRI localization was handled by Dr Sarbesh Tiwari. Anesthesia support was provided by Dr Swati Chabbra and Dr Manbir Kaur.
The surgeries were led by neurosurgeon Dr Mohit Agrawal, with academic guidance from Dr Deepak K Jha and Dr Suryanarayanan Bhaskar. The team also acknowledged the support of Executive Director Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri in strengthening advanced epilepsy care services.
Strengthening epilepsy care under Ayushman Bharat
Since 2019, AIIMS Jodhpur has been running a Comprehensive Epilepsy Surgery Program and has successfully conducted over 100 epilepsy surgeries. These procedures are provided free of cost under the Ayushman Bharat scheme, ensuring access to advanced treatment for patients across the region.
This milestone further reinforces AIIMS Jodhpur’s commitment to delivering state-of-the-art, patient-centric healthcare and advancing specialized neurosurgical services in India.
