Apollo Hospitals Revolutionizes Epilepsy Care with Advanced Surgical Program, Offering New Hope to Drug Resistant Patients

 Apollo Hospitals Revolutionizes Epilepsy Care with Advanced Surgical Program, Offering New Hope to Drug Resistant Patients

Chennai, 13 February, 2025: Apollo Hospitals Chennai has launched an advanced Technology-led Epilepsy Surgery Program, strengthening its commitment to comprehensive neurological care. This initiative combines cutting-edge technology with Apollo’s extensive clinical expertise, and management of epilepsy. The program highlights Apollo Hospitals' extensive dedication to medical excellence and innovation in healthcare.

This Epilepsy Surgery Program operates through the combined resources of Apollo Main Hospital and Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, ensuring access to state-of-the-art diagnostic and surgical technologies. The facility is equipped with a 3T MRI, soundproofed video EEG suite, and PET CT scans, facilitating precise pre-surgical evaluation. The program also incorporates advanced surgical adjuncts, including augmented reality-enabled neuro navigation, intraoperative ultrasound, intraoperative electrocorticography, and a high-precision operative microscope, ensuring the highest level of accuracy in epilepsy treatment.

The program is led by a distinguished team of specialists, including Dr. Arvind Sukumaran, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, and Dr. S. Muthukani, Senior Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist, both of whom have received specialized training in epilepsy management. The program has successfully conducted 15 pilot epilepsy surgeries, with intraoperative EEG or electrocorticography enhancing surgical precision. Among these cases, 13 patients have achieved complete seizure freedom, demonstrating the efficacy of Apollo Hospitals’ multidisciplinary approach to epilepsy treatment.

Launching the program, Dr. Arvind Sukumaran, Senior Consultant Neurosurgeon, Apollo Hospitals, said, "Epilepsy surgery has evolved significantly over the years at Apollo hospitals Chennai, offering new hope to patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. With this integrated state-of-the-art technology and a multidisciplinary approach, Apollo hospitals can now perform highly precise procedures that maximize the chances of seizure freedom. This program represents a transformative step in epilepsy management in India.”

Dr. S. Muthukani, Senior Consultant Neurologist and Epileptologist, Apollo Hospitals, added, "In India a significant number of epilepsy patients continue to struggle with seizures despite optimal medical therapy. Our advanced surgical program provides a definitive solution for appropriate cases, offering potential seizure-free life. Apollo Hospitals has always been a pioneer in taking up advanced technology to create a holistic approach and ensuring cutting-edge treatment. We aim to improve neurological care and patient outcomes across India.”

Apollo Hospitals has also established strategic collaborations with premier institutions such as NIMHANS and Amrita Institute, further enhancing its diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities. These partnerships reinforce Apollo’s commitment to delivering holistic, research-driven, and patient-centric care.

Despite significant medical advancements, awareness regarding epilepsy surgery remains low in India, even in urban areas. Of the 50 lakh individuals affected by epilepsy nationwide, nearly 25% could benefit from surgical intervention, with approximately half of these patients having the potential to achieve complete seizure control. Timely intervention is crucial, as epilepsy surgery can significantly improve the quality of life by enhancing cognitive functions in children and reducing medication dependency in adults.

Looking ahead, Apollo Hospitals plans to further expand its epilepsy care program with the introduction of robotic stereotactic EEG, reaffirming its position as a pioneer in neurological care and medical innovation. With this newly launched program, Apollo Hospitals remains committed to pioneering advancements in patient care, medical research, and healthcare innovation.

About Apollo Hospitals: 

It was in 1983, that Dr Prathap C Reddy made a pioneering endeavor by launching India’s first corporate hospital - Apollo Hospitals in Chennai. Now, as Asia’s foremost trusted integrated healthcare group, its presence includes over 12,000 beds across 72 Hospitals and 5000 pharmacies, over 400 Primary Care clinics and 1228 Diagnostic centres, 700 plus Teleclinics, over 15 medical education centres and a Research Foundation with a focus on global Clinical Trials. The most recent investment was the commissioning of South East Asia’s very first Proton Therapy Centre in Chennai. 

Every four days, the Apollo Hospitals Group touches a million lives, in its mission to bring healthcare of international standards within the reach of every individual. In a rare honour, the Government of India had issued a commemorative stamp in recognition of Apollo's contribution, the first for a healthcare organization. Apollo Hospitals Chairman, Dr Prathap C Reddy, was conferred with the prestigious Padma Vibhushan in 2010. 

For 40 years, the Apollo Hospitals Group has continuously excelled and maintained leadership in medical innovation, world-class clinical services and cutting-edge technology. Its hospitals are consistently ranked amongst the best hospitals in the country for advanced medical services