More than 3 million people in the U.S. have some form of epilepsy. About
200,000 new cases of seizure disorders and epilepsy are diagnosed each
year. Epilepsy is a medical condition that produces seizures affecting
a variety of mental and physical functions. It’s also called a seizure
disorder. When a person has two or more seizures, he/she are considered
to have epilepsy.
Neurologists utilize a variety of techniques to diagnose epilepsy. Your
primary care physician can request a comprehensive neurological evaluation
by contacting the Neurodiagnostic Center at Winchester Medical Center
at 540-536-8287.
The Virginia Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Winchester Medical Center
is a collaboration between WMC and two Winchester, Virginia based physician
practices, Winchester Neurological Consultants, Inc., and Virginia Brain
and Spine Center, Inc.
The founders of the program, epileptologist Paul Lyons, MD (Winchester
Neurological Consultants, Inc) and neurosurgeon Lee Selznick, MD (Virginia
Brain and Spine Center, Inc) envisioned integrated services for the treatment
of epilepsy and pursued a cohesive, comprehensive program. Winchester
Medical Center, where both physicians have privileges, provides the necessary
neurodiagnostics and surgical facilities to complete the program. A licensed
dietitian is also available, who works in conjunction with the physicians
and appropriate patients, offering a ketogenic dietary regimen or other
diets shown to be useful in controlling symptoms of Epilepsy.
NAEC Level 4 Epilepsy Center
Offering the most comprehensive services for epilepsy evaluation and treatment,
the program has the highest designation (Level 4) given by the National
Association of Epilepsy Centers and is one of only four designees in the state.
The Virginia Comprehensive Epilepsy Program provides a continuum of care
for neonatal to geriatric patients and has the professional expertise
and facilities to provide medical and surgical care for complex epilepsy cases.
Treatment of Patient Conditions including:
Undiagnosed or poorly characterized seizure disorders
Seizures refractory to anticonvulsant drug therapy
Post-traumatic seizures
Seizure-like events with or without altered consciousness
Providing Comprehensive Evaluations including:
Routine, ambulatory and video EEG
Intensive inpatient video EEG monitoring
Anticonvulsant drug treatment and monitoring
Cortical grid monitoring/mapping/functional MRI to determine potential
for surgical intervention
Interventional testing including WADA, Spectography
Neuropsychological testing
Virginia Comprehensive Epilepsy Program also conducts clinical research
trials in epilepsy and associated conditions.
Specialized Treatments:
Anti-seizure medications
Intercranial epilepsy surgery
Vagal nerve stimulation
Responsive neuro stimulation (Neuropace)
Modified diet programs for adult and pediatric patients, i.e. ketogenic,
modified ketogenic
