UK Boy Oran Knowlson First to Trial New Epilepsy Device, Seizures Reduced by 80%

Jun 24, 2024, 05:08 AM

A 13-year-old boy from Somerset, Oran Knowlson, has become the first patient in the world to trial a new epilepsy device fitted in his skull. This groundbreaking procedure, part of the CADET project, aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of deep brain stimulation for severe epilepsy. The Picostim neurostimulator, developed by UK company Amber Therapeutics, has significantly reduced Oran's daytime seizures by 80%. Oran, diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome at age 3, underwent the five-hour surgery last October at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. His mother reports that he has experienced a much better quality of life since the trial began.