Cortical electrical stimulation for the treatment of focal epilepsy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Cortical electrical stimulation for the treatment of focal epilepsy (CortEST)
IRAS ID
187072
Contact name
Antonio Valentin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Action Medical Research, GN2380; Epilepsy Research UK, P1503
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Approximately 35% of patients with epilepsy (1 in 3) do not have an effective treatment for their epilepsy. A new and effective treatment could be crucial to improve their quality of life. Our group (Mr Richard Selway and Dr Antonio Valentin) is developing a new treatment technique for patients who have epilepsy originating in localised areas of the brain. The technique consists of blocking the abnormal area using electrical stimulation. Initial results in three patients recently treated at KCH using this technique, have suggested that electrical stimulation could provide a very useful form of treatment. However, a detailed study is needed to look more specifically at the efficacy of the technique when used as part of routine clinical treatment.
24 patients from King’s College Hospital and 10 patients from The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery with intracranial recordings as part of the NHS service for surgical assessment, who are eligible for potential chronic cortical stimulation, will undergo an additional 24 hours of intracranial EEG recording (without stimulation) and one or both of two parameter stimulation protocols (CP1 and CP2) during a period of 48 hours.
The study protocols will start after sufficient seizures have been recorded in the telemetry unit for clinical purposes and before the patient is ready for the removal of the electrodes. The additional 24 hours of non-stimulated recording will take place and the patient will be on his/her full therapeutic medication during this period. Patients with an improvement in seizure frequency and interictal discharges during the study will be potential candidates for chronic continuous cortical stimulation for the treatment of their epilepsy.REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/WM/0417
Date of REC Opinion
22 Jan 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion