Epilepsy Resistant to Medicine Cured by Minimal Access Surgery
McGehee Porter, who has worked at Neuberger Berman for many years, is no stranger to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center. At Neuberger Berman, his longtime work colleague, mentor, and friend, was the late Stephen H. Weiss, a major benefactor of the medical center and former Chairman of the Board of Overseers of Weill Cornell Medical College and Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences. They had worked together previously for 20 years at Weiss, Peck and Greer. Through Stephen Weiss who passed away in April of 2008, Mr. Porter had learned about many of the medical advances at NewYork-Cornell. Now, Mr. Porter has experienced first-hand one of the medical marvels available. He has been cured of epilepsy via surgery performed by Dr. Theodore H. Schwartz .
Clearly not one to be discouraged in the face of adversity, Mr. Porter had tried every medicine possible for a condition he had dealt with for some 15 years, but it was a minimally invasive surgery that provided lasting results.
"For all the things that people support, this surgical cure for epilepsy really works. It has changed my life. This really makes a difference. It can change people's lives for the better," explains Mr. Porter. "Dr. Schwartz was recommended to me through the Department of Neurology and I remembered having met him before at a symposium. I knew I was in good hands."
Today, Mr. Porter is a "satisfied customer" of the Department of Neurological Surgery, but it has not been an easy road. He had experienced the gamut of epileptic seizures. And although he doesn't complain, clearly it can be a frustrating experience for the patient to try various medications that don't completely prevent the seizures -- however small or overpowering the seizures may be. One day, Mr. Porter found himself on his back lying in a lobby with three paramedics surrounding him. And over the years, his epileptic seizures had landed him in several emergency rooms. He knew all the warning signs well, "light headedness, feelings of euphoria, having auras, sensing funny smells," to name a few. These warning signs would sometimes occur while he was speaking to clients on the phone, but he found ways to cope. "I know this is not a one-size fits all condition," he adds, "I had all of these warning signs, but others may experience symptoms differently."
After having the grand mal seizure, it was Dr. Wayne Isom, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, who facilitated transport for Mr. Porter to NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital where he was connected with the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center.
Surgery Can Cure Epilepsy Not widely known, surgery can indeed be a cure for epilepsy. Dr. Schwartz, an expert in the field (as well as brain tumors), uses a computerized test to locate the exact spotÑor lesionÑin the brain which is causing the epileptic seizures. In this case, the small lesion was in the hippocampus area of Mr. Porter's brain (right side). A small incision was made over the right ear and the lesion was accessed and removed. Months later, Mr. Porter has had no seizures, no auras, and is feeling extremely well. He has done so well that he serves on the Weill Cornell Medical Council, traveling with Dr. Schwartz to make joint presentations on Epilepsy at educational forums. For people who are dealing with epilepsy, Mr. Porter gives some encouraging words, "My experience is -- you can work through this. People have many things worse than seizures to deal with. There are talented and skilled surgeons such as Dr. Schwartz who can provide a cure."
Mr. Porter's message appearing on the Bloomberg.com web site: "I had the surgery this June at Weill Cornell Medical Center (NY-Presbyterian Hospital) to correct my frontal lobe seizures which had become more frequent and more severe although I was taking both Dilantin, the most frequently prescribed drug for seizures, and Keppra which had been added as a back up after a grand mal seizure. My procedure by Dr. Theodore Schwartz, head of neurological surgery for epilepsy at WCMC, was minimally invasive and I returned to work for partial days within a week of the surgery. I have not had a seizure since my surgery. About four months of testing preceded the operation. The Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at NY-Presbyterian is one of the finest in the country. " Mr. McGehee Porter
Contact Us
For your convenience, we offer several options for scheduling an appointment.
Request an Appointment Online.
Phone
(866) 426-7787
(212) 746-4684
Office Hours
Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Emergency Department,
NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell
(212) 746-5026
