I am a Research Administrator at Bristol Speech and Language Therapy Research Unit. I completed my degree from Catholic University of Lublin in 2007 and joined BSLTRU at Southmead Hospital in 2022. I support the team to ensure studies are successfully initiated in a timely manner, recruit to time and target and are organised, managed and delivered to a high standard.
Please provide a PDF copy of the latest report from the VNS generator and complete the referral form below. Send both the documents to either Samantha Travis: Samantha.Travis@nbt.nhs.uk or Geraldine Watson: Geraldine.Watson@nbt.nhs.uk
Our brain is a maze of very complex circuits: each cell uses actual electricity to release small molecules for communication!
A seizure happens when either the electrical or the chemical communication is disrupted.
When the abnormal activity happens in the brain as a whole, the epilepsy is called generalised, but if it starts in a specific part of the brain it is called focal.
In most cases, medications succeed in controlling seizures.
Some people continue to have seizures despite the standard treatments (Drug-resistant Epilepsy, DRE). In these cases, we can often identify the problem by running an in-depth evaluation with complex investigations and tests. Eventually, we would be able to offer a personalised treatment, which may include surgery.
The aim is to get the seizures mitigated, controlled or even make them disappear.
After your referral is checked and accepted, you will get to know your neurologist with an initial visit with clinical examination and assessment of seizures features.
The diagnostic process may be lengthy, and may require multiple visits or hospital admissions. We try to arrange as many of the test together as possible to prevent multiple journeys.
Epilepsy Action - Epileptic seizures explained https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/seizures-explained
Epilepsy Action https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/
Epilepsy Society https://epilepsysociety.org.uk/
Young Epilepsy https://www.youngepilepsy.org.uk/
Epilepsy and Pregnancy https://www.epilepsyandpregnancy.co.uk/
Epilepsy Foundation https://www.epilepsy.com/
You can be considered for epilepsy surgery if:
If you think you meet these criteria, speak to your GP or local neurologist.
It depends on when you were enrolled on the programme. A member of the team will be able to provide you with a projected timing.
Generally speaking, it may take up to one year from the initial assessment to surgery. Your journey with us may be longer if the epilepsy generator is difficult to find and a stereoEEG is deemed necessary.
No, unfortunately these tests have to be performed within our trust to ensure we get the necessary information to gather a full picture.
No, as you may undergo a medication reduction / withdrawal to provoke a seizure and you will need to be monitored during this time.
Please bring items to keep you entertained whilst you are in the room. TV and Wifi are available.
Normally it is a two-week admission but you may be asked to stay longer, until sufficient data have been collected.
Used to obtain very detailed pictures of the brain and its functional areas. It usually takes 30 to 45 minutes and you can go home straight after.
It uses a dye that can highlight brain regions that use energy in an abnormal way. This is done in Cheltenham.
A dye is injected at the beginning of a seizure and remains in those areas most involved in a seizure. This test requires an admission.
This is a complex kind of brain activity scan and requires travelling to Birmingham.
It is done only in uncommon cases where it is unclear where language and memory functions areas are. The procedure involves temporarily putting asleep one side of your brain by injecting an anaesthetic medication in your groin, while running some tests. It requires an admission, but you can go home the same day.
It is a painless procedure where small probes are attached to the scalp for analysing the brain’s activity by looking at its electrical waves. It usually takes up to one hour.
This is like a normal EEG but with a camera recording. It lasts longer, typically one or two weeks. You will stay in a dedicated comfy bay room with bed, chair, TV, Wifi and en-suite bathroom. Friends and family can come and visit.
If seizures are not very frequent, medications may be reduced to allow seizures to happen. It is important to stay in the room as much as possible, to avoid missing a seizure. Skilled nurses will maintain your safety in case of seizures.
When information from normal EEG are inconclusive, some small probes are placed into specific areas of your brain with an ultra-precise robotic arm. It requires an admission similar to the VT investigation, but may rarely require to stay in longer.
In selected cases, the electrodes can also be used to disrupt the seizure network (RFTC) with a temporary beneficial affect on seizures frequency. Although temporary, this effect would give precious information on the chances of a successful surgery.
At the end of the recording, electrodes will be removed at the bedside and you can go home next day.
This assessment takes three to four hours to complete and involves completing a variety of paper and pencil and computerised tests, to evaluate brain functions such as concentration, language and memory.
It will show areas of strengths and weakness in your thinking and memory which can be associated with certain seizure generators. It can also show if the part of your brain that is likely to be removed is responsible for any functions that other parts of your brain cannot take over. This helps predict whether your daily reasoning would be at risk with surgery.
This assessment would clarify if your epilepsy is causing any other problems that you may not be aware of.
The psychiatrist will be able to tell if surgery may help these problems as well, and if you would need any extra support after surgery (for example, mood swings and anxiety can temporarily effect 1 in 5 people after surgery).
You will also be able to discuss the changes you hope for as a result of surgical treatment.
The hospital stay varies from person to person, but the average length of stay is five days.
The first follow-up will be with your GP / local practitioner nurse, to make sure the wound is healing well and there are no outstanding issues.
You will be contacted by our specialist nurses one month after surgery and will see the neurosurgeon at 6-8 weeks post-operatively. Your neurologist will continue to see you at 3, 6, 9, 12 months.
Post-operative imaging and neuropsychologist / neuropsychiatry reviews are also part of post-operative assessment, but their timeframes may change from case to case.
It is normal to feel tired. You can expect to have some pain and nausea/vomiting initially after surgery but these will go within a few days, and the pain should reduce over the first week leaving a bit of discomfort for the following weeks.
This varies from person to person but we would advise three months off work and then a phased return to work.
You will not be taken off any of your medications (AEDs) for the first year after surgery, allowing time for you brain to recover and heal; this also gives your neurologist a clear picture on how surgery has affected your epilepsy.
The DVLA regulations state that your peripheral vision is good (it will need to be tested one year after surgery) and that you must be seizure-free for at least one year before being able to drive a car or motorcycle.
Special considerations apply when the process of tapering medications down starts.
We are an enthusiastic team including neurologists, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists, neuropsychiatrists, neuropsychologists, EEG physiologists, epilepsy fellows, specialist nurses and our programme coordinator.
Other specialists across the hospital are consulted as needed. They include social workers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists.
Established in the 1990's, Bristol Adult Epilepsy Surgery Programme has treated over 1500 cases. We pioneered the use of sEEG in England, having performed more than 115 sEEG so far (2010-2022).
Only for urgent enquires or anti-epileptic medication advice: 0117 414 6456 / 07710 916 916
Please contact one of our neurologists directly via email or post.
Email: Kasia.Sieradzan@nbt.nhs.uk; Howard.Faulkner@nbt.nhs.uk; Madhu.Ramamoorthi@nbt.nhs.uk
Post: Epilepsy Surgery Programme, Neurology Offices, North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol BS10 5NB
Please view the referral information page and follow the instructions provided.
GMC Number: 7047300
Year and location of first qualification: 2009, Manchester
Specialty: Acute Internal Medicine and Perioperative Medicine
Clinical interests: Same Day Emergency Care, care of older adults undergoing surgery or admitted following trauma, service development with acute and perioperative medicine, medical education
Secretary: Lisa Williams
Telephone number: 0117 414 1141
Professional memberships: Member of the Royal College of Physicians and Society for Acute Medicine
Dr Sarah Ibitoye has been a consultant at North Bristol NHS Trust since April 2022. In the Acute Medicine department she provides specialist medical care for patients needing admission to hospital, or requiring urgent investigation within Same Day Emergency Care. As a perioperative physician, Sarah supports surgical teams in managing older adults undergoing surgical procedures whose care may be complicated by medical conditions or frailty.
Sarah is an Advanced Life Support Instructor and regularly participates in the training of postgraduate doctors and other health professionals.
Sarah believes in the importance of continuing development and training. She has completed a Masters in Tropical and Infectious Disease, Postgraduate award in Medical Education and is currently completing a Diploma in Perioperative Medicine.
Email address: Sarah.ibitoye@nbt.nhs.uk
This training session will be an introduction to pragmatically organised vocabulary. The main focus of the session will be on :
You may be very familiar with AAC, or very new. You may be using a high-tech device, or something paper-based. Either way, we think you will learn something new.
You can access the training at anytime online. Please allow 45 minutes for the training as you will need to watch videos and complete tasks as part of the training.
1. Watch the YouTube video below
2. Download the PDF slides below
This training session will be an introduction to core and fringe vocabulary. The purpose of this training is to :
You may be very familiar with AAC, or very new. You may be using a high-tech device, or something paper-based. Either way, we think you will learn something new.
You can access the training at anytime online. Please allow 45 minutes for the training as you will need to watch videos and complete tasks as part of the training.
1. Watch the YouTube video below
2. Download the PDF of the slides
Join informal drop-in sessions for people with a cancer diagnosis, their families, and supporters.
Sessions are held in the Macmillan Wellbeing Centre:
At the Macmillan Wellbeing Centre:
The drop-in session aims to provide information and support on a wide range of subjects, including: