Clinical Research Directory

Ultrasound-Guided Intermediate Cervical Plexus Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Vagus Nerve Stimulation Surgery

This retrospective cohort study evaluated the medical records of adult patients who underwent vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation under general anesthesia for drug-resistant epilepsy at Fırat University Hospital between January 2019 and December 2021. Patients who received a left-sided ultrasound-guided intermediate cervical plexus block (ICPB) with 10 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine as part of routine care were compared with patients who did not receive a regional block. The primary outcome was total intravenous morphine consumption during the first 24 postoperative hours. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative remifentanil consumption, postoperative pain intensity assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) at rest and during movement, rescue morphine requirement, time to first rescue analgesia, length of hospital stay, and postoperative seizures within 24 hours, and block-related adverse events.

Modified Ketogenic Diet on Drug-Resistant Epilepsy in Adults - a Prospective Observational Study of Real-world Data

The purpose of our study is to investigate how dietary treatment with a modified ketogenic diet for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy affects patients' health-related quality of life and seizure frequency. We will also examine the diet's impact on cognitive functions, sleep, treatment side effects, microbiota metabolites, inflammation, and changes in the gut and oral bacterial flora, as well as the long-term aspects of this dietary treatment.

Occupational Therapy Approach in ARX-Related Epilepsy

This study evaluated the effects of medical ketogenic diet therapy combined with occupational therapy in children with ARX-related epilepsy. Twenty children were included. Ten children receiving a ketogenic diet formed the experimental group, and ten children not receiving a ketogenic diet formed the control group. Both groups received occupational therapy for 16 weeks. Assessments were performed at baseline, week 8, and week 16. Seizure frequency, motor performance, balance, sensory processing, chewing performance, eating behaviors, and health-related quality of life were evaluated.

Non-Invasive Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation for Drug-Resistant Epilepsy

The goal of this study is to investigate the effects of a non-invasive, low intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) stimulation on seizure frequency and the epileptogenic network in drug-resistant epilepsy. LIFU uses focused sound waves to modulate deep brain regions and to enable changes in brain network activity. Encephalography (EEG) and behavioral tasks will also be used to study how LIFU affects brain activity.

MiCrobiota-gut-brain Axis in Resistant Epilepsy

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological chronic conditions with a serious burden on patients, their caregivers, and society. Drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) heightens this burden. New approaches are thus a priority. Studies in animal models and humans have shown the link between gut microbiota (GM) and the central nervous system in health, neurological conditions, and neurodevelopmental disorders. DRE has been linked to GM dysbiosis. Preliminary findings in children with DRE showed GM modifications when responding to a ketogenic diet. The mediator role of GM has not yet been studied in DRE patients undergoing surgery/vagal nerve stimulation. CARE's central hypothesis is that the GM and its metabolic profile could contribute to clinical outcomes following these different therapeutic procedures. Identifying microbial biomarkers will enable us to deepen the knowledge of the role of gut-brain axis in epilepsy and to tailor the intervention to each patient based on GM modulation.