Lana experienced her first epileptic seizure when she was 12 years old. Her CAT scan showed a lesion or a benign (non-cancerous) cyst in her brain. Sadly, brain surgery at that time was still too risky so the lesion remained in Lana’s brain. With the seizures came epilepsy drugs that had deeply troubling side effects. “They disturbed my memory, which affected my whole life,” Lana said. “I didn’t do very well in school, I couldn’t go to college, I couldn’t drive, and I couldn’t participate in activities. I had no confidence, and for 25 years I accepted it as my life.”
Despite her quiet burden, Lana became a wife and a mother. It’s still painful for her to remember her early years as a mom. Brain seizure medications robbed Lana of nearly all her energy. She was unable to enjoy even routine activities with her toddler, Mackenzie. Making matters worse was her lack of sleep; despite medication, Lana awoke nearly every night with one or two seizures.
In the fall of 2005 her physician stopped accepting her medical insurance. Lana chose to come to Loyola. “I immediately felt different at Loyola. Other doctors would look at my medical files, say everything seemed okay and just keep writing prescriptions. But after Dr. Asconapé studied my history, he said the medications could be damaging and that there must be a reason for my seizures.”
“I suspected that the lesion was probably significant,” recalls Jorge Asconapé, MD, professor, neurology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine (LUC SSOM). “Often if a lesion remains in the brain, seizures don’t respond to medicine.”
An MRI taken in November 2005 revealed a tumor measuring an inch long and nearly as wide. “She had a pretty big lesion that had grown over time. My recommendation was to remove it. I work closely with (Loyola neurosurgeon) Dr. Anderson, and we often consult on patients. I asked him to see the images right away and speak with Lana, who seemed uneasy about surgery.”
In early 2006 and at Dr. Asconapé’s recommendation, Lana underwent several days of brain wave monitoring that confirmed the tumor was causing the seizures and identified their precise location.
“We were reasonably certain that if we could remove the tumor and the tissue immediately surrounding it, she would be done with seizures and medications for the rest of her life,” said Douglas Anderson, MD, professor, neurological surgery, LUC SSOM. “We told Lana that brain surgery had changed greatly in recent years.”
The decision rested with Lana and her husband, Wayne, a Chicago Police Department sergeant. From their early days of dating when she explained how her life was constrained by epilepsy, to the years of driving her everywhere she needed to go and to the decision to have brain surgery, Wayne has been by her side. “He was wonderful all those years, accepting me for who I was,” Lana said. “Wayne was my biggest supporter going through surgery. He always said everything would be fine.”
On March 9, 2006, Dr. Anderson performed the operation that changed Lana’s life forever. He placed 16 tiny electrodes on the surface of Lana’s brain, allowing him to plot on a computer the tumor and brain tissue that he needed to remove to finally end the seizures. Equipped with a surgical microscope and an ultrasonic aspirator, Dr. Anderson then used sound waves to take out the tumor.
“Having a skilled surgeon and leading-edge technology is always important, but so is the tumor’s location,” Dr. Asconapé said. “There were not many vital areas near her tumor, so Dr. Anderson was confident he could remove it without putting other brain functions in harm’s way.”
Lana’s case was one of the rare instances in which surgery was the best option. Even today medication is still the primary epilepsy therapy. People with difficult-to-control seizures are encouraged to see specialized neurologists such as Dr. Asconapé, an epileptologist who focuses exclusively on epilepsy and is best suited to recommend therapies most likely to be successful.
Lana’s surgery was very successful. She is grateful to Drs. Asconapé and Anderson, and she’s also extremely appreciative of Loyola’s nursing staff. “They were all wonderful. One nurse was there every time I awoke. It was amazing how much she cared.”
Just four days after her surgery, Lana reunited with her family at her Jefferson Park home.
Dr. Anderson says patients today expect to get better with minimal or no cosmetic consequences. “They’ve raised the bar and we’re responding as best as possible.” Thanks to the team’s concern for Lana’s appearance, it is hard to tell that she had surgery. More importantly, Lana has had no seizures since the operation and she no longer needs epilepsy drugs. Lana, her friends and family all marvel at her newfound energy and confidence. She is delighting everyone with her cheerful and animated personality.
A year after her surgery, Wayne bought Lana her first car. The perpetual passenger became the neighborhood carpool driver. “My friends don’t even try my house phone anymore,” Lana said. “They call my cell because they know I’m always out.”
Perhaps most gratifying is Lana’s new relationship with her daughter. She loves being active with Mackenzie, whether it’s playing in the park, shopping in the mall, enjoying hide-and-seek at home or driving her to ice skating and dance. “Mackenzie is the main reason I had the operation. I am now the mom I want her to know.”
For more information about Loyola’s expertise in neurosciences or to make an appointment, please call (888) LUHS-888.
Voice Make-Over
We often don’t give hoarseness much thought. But when it lasts longer than a week or two, it is time to see an ear-nose-throat (ENT) physician, ideally one who is expert at diagnosing and treating vocal cord problems.
“Voice specialists are trained to accurately diagnose and treat the underlying cause of any voice disorder,” said Lee Akst, MD, assistant professor, otolaryngology, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, and medical director, voice program. “At Loyola we have access to state-of-the art technology such as the endoscope, a special camera that provides a magnified view of the vocal cords to evaluate their ability to move and vibrate, revealing the source of a problem.”
Acid reflux, polyps, vocal cord paralysis or cancer may all cause voice disorders.When appropriate, laryngeal surgeons use a laser created specifically to treat voice problems. The surgeon who developed the laser taught Dr. Akst, who is one of the few surgeons in Chicago trained to use this precise voice-enhancing instrument.
“Voice complaints are often neglected.” Dr. Akst said. “And patients compromise their quality of life unnecessarily.”
For more information or to schedule an appointment with a Loyola ENT physician, please call (888) LUHS-888.
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