Epilepsy & Seizure Disorders:
Syndrome-Specific Diagnosis & Surgical Cure

The distinction requires specialist assessment and EEG. Seizures with no aura, bilateral involvement of both arms from the start, onset in adolescence, morning jerks, and a family history of similar seizures all suggest generalised epilepsy. Focal epilepsy typically starts with one-sided symptoms or a specific aura. At KIMS every patient is formally classified focal, generalised, or combined as the first step in treatment planning.

Yes — seek urgent reassessment. Carbamazepine is effective for focal epilepsy but contraindicated in generalised syndromes like Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy and Dravet syndrome. If a patient with generalised epilepsy is on carbamazepine and seizures are increasing, the medication is almost certainly the cause. The solution is stopping it and starting a syndrome-appropriate medication.

Yes — you should be assessed to determine whether you are a surgical candidate. Drug-resistant epilepsy means seizures have continued despite two or more appropriately chosen medications. At that point, further medication has less than 5% probability of seizure freedom. Temporal lobectomy at KIMS achieves 65–70% seizure freedom for mesial TLE with hippocampal sclerosis.

Status epilepticus is any seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, or recurrent seizures without recovery of consciousness between them. It is a neurological emergency — call 040-46324365 immediately, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Treatment at KIMS follows a structured protocol: IV benzodiazepines first (lorazepam or midazolam) → second-line agents (levetiracetam, fosphenytoin, valproate) → anaesthetic induction with continuous EEG monitoring for refractory cases. The longer status continues, the harder it is to control and the higher the risk of permanent neuronal injury.

Video-EEG telemetry is a 3–7 day inpatient admission during which the patient is continuously monitored with EEG electrodes and a synchronised video camera. It captures actual seizures so the type, the syndrome, and the seizure-onset zone can be determined directly rather than inferred from history alone. It is essential for distinguishing epilepsy from psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, for confirming syndrome diagnosis, and for planning surgery. KIMS performs video-EEG telemetry on site.

Yes — KIMS has a dietitian-supervised ketogenic diet programme particularly effective for Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, GLUT-1 deficiency, and refractory West syndrome (infantile spasms). The classical ketogenic diet is 4:1 fat to carbohydrate-and-protein ratio, supervised by a paediatric dietitian. Modified Atkins diet and low-glycaemic-index treatment are less restrictive alternatives. Effective ketogenic therapy requires precise calorie and ratio calculation, supplementation, and laboratory monitoring — it is not a home-cooked attempt.

Yes. KIMS Neuroscience performs temporal lobe resections — the largest series in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh — with 65–70% seizure freedom for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. The programme also includes corpus callosotomy for Lennox-Gastaut drop attacks (70–80% reduction), Vagus Nerve Stimulation, and SEEG with robotic guidance for complex MRI-negative cases. Patients in Hyderabad, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh do not need to travel to another city for epilepsy surgery.

Yes — direct epilepsy clinic appointments are accepted. Outpatient: 040-44885000 (Mon–Sat). For a first seizure, please bring any video of the event captured on a phone — this is often the single most useful piece of evidence for classification. For ongoing status epilepticus, call 040-46324365 immediately.

Initial consultation 30–60 minutes. Routine EEG is usually performed on the same or next day. A video-EEG telemetry admission (typically 3–5 days inpatient) is scheduled if the syndrome classification or surgical workup needs it. MRI with epilepsy protocol is scheduled within 1–2 weeks. A complete diagnostic picture and a treatment plan are usually in place within 2–4 weeks.