SCRANTON, Pa. -- Epilepsy is a neurological disorder that results from abnormal activity in the brain. It can cause seizures and is fairly common. One doctor at Geisinger says it affects 4 million people in the country.
Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton unveiled a new unit this week meant for epilepsy patients.
According to officials at Geisinger-CMC, 14,000 people in the area have epilepsy or some form of seizure disorder.
Diagnosing it, in the past, has relied on a doctor's clinical judgment.
"There are many conditions -- seizure imitators we call them -- sometimes a movement disorder, sometimes a stress seizure, etc."
Now doctors have new tools at their fingertips.
Dr. Abuhuziefa Abubakr is a neurologist and director of epilepsy services at Geisinger-CMC. He gave us a tour of a new six-bed unit, what he calls the gold standard of care for seizure disorders.
In a starring role is a control room allowing real-time recording of video, along with the monitoring of a patient's brain waves.
"We try to correlate it to say which is which. Is it a seizure? What kind? Where is it coming from? What is the best way we can treat it?" Dr. Abubakr said.
Patients will be monitored 24/7 in the room.
Even a lounge area is set up so patients on the wing can move freely through the unit and still be watched.
The unit is scheduled to be open next week, and Dr. Abubakr says it'll be a full house, every room already filled.
If necessary, the control room will allow doctors at Geisinger-CMC to share video or information from the epilepsy unit with other doctors at Geisinger locations in the Wyoming Valley and near Danville.