What does specialized epilepsy care offer?

The Academic Center for Epileptology offers highly specialized diagnosis, treatment and support to people with (possibly) a complex type of epilepsy.

Our multidisciplinary approach of the patient is essential for how our expertise center works. We approach your patient from a medical-epileptological perspective, but also explicitly pay attention to the psychological and social factors that could play a role in epilepsy.

The Academic Center for Epileptology Kempenhaeghe/Maastricht UMC+ provides care in its main locations in Heeze, Oosterhout and Maastricht. There are more outpatient clinics in general hospitals. Our care is included in the basic care offering of all health care insurers in the Netherlands.

For patients with (suspected) complex epilepsy

We offer extra facilities and expertise for patients with complex problems. We like to share our findings for you so you can continue to support your patient as soon as possible.

In the Academic Center for Epileptology we see patients from young to older. We offer various programs for various groups:

• Epilepsy in young children (onset of epilepsy in the first years of life)
• Epilepsy in schoolchildren
• Epilepsy in children with developmental stagnations
• Epilepsy in multiple complex disabled children
• Epilepsy in youths/adolescents
• (Suspected) psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNEA) in children
• Epilepsy in women
• Epilepsy in adults
• Epilepsy in the elderly
• Epilepsy in intellectually disabled adults
• Epilepsy in adults with a multiple complex disability
• (Suspected) psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNEA) in adults

Epilepsy guideline: when to refer?

The working group Epilepsy Guideline, headed by prof. dr. Marian Majoie, neurologist at Kempenhaeghe and Maastricht UMC+, has developed a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy.

The guideline is authorized by the Dutch Association for Neurology (NVN), the Dutch Association for Pediatric Neurology (NVKN), the Dutch Association for Pediatric Medicine (NVK), the Dutch Association of Doctors for the Intellectually disabled (NVAVG), the Dutch Association for Obstetrics and Gynecology (NVOG), the Association Clinical Genetics Netherlands (VKGN), the Dutch Association for Radiology (NVvR), the Dutch Association for Emergency Doctors (NVSHA) and the Dutch Epilepsy Association (EVN).

As representative of the specialized epilepsy care Kempenhaeghe devotes itself, together with the medical trade associations and patient associations, to the development and application of this guideline, and for its continuous actualization. On http://epilepsie.neurologie.nl you will find the web-based text. Below is a summary.

The guideline offers specific recommendations concerning referral to specialized epilepsy care and reasons for specialized neuro-psychological examinations:

Referral to specialized epilepsy care

Refer the patient to specialized epilepsy care when there is the patient is not seizure-free within two years after the onset of epilepsy and/or the prescription of two AEDs.

Advice the patient to seek specialized epilepsy care when:

• additional or specific diagnosis is required
• screening epilepsy surgery is an option
• nervus vagus stimulation (NVS) or ketogenic diet is required
• advice on or taking over treatment in the case of epilepsy therapy resistance is required
• the use of experimental or not yet registered treatment options is considered
• additional problems (psychic disorders, learning and/or behavioral problems, social problems) occur
• the seizures affect cognitive functioning
• psychological support is required in dealing with epilepsy, with others or when there are psychological problems
• work related problems occur
• epilepsy occurs in the first years of life. Take into account the impact of epilepsy on the development, behavior and complex psychosocial factors.

When are neuropsychological examinations in order?

In a patient diagnosed with epilepsy it is important to be alert to the cognitive development and mood. The epilepsy guideline extensively describes the reasons for neuropsychological screening. Within the specialized epilepsy care the recommended screening instruments are available.

Consult first?

Do you have questions or would you like to consult one of the neurologists of the Academic Center for Epileptology?

You may contact us via telephone number +31 40 227 90 22 (Kempenhaeghe Heeze) or +31 162 481 800 (Kempenhaeghe, Hans Berger Kliniek Oosterhout). Please ask for the secretariat outpatient clinic epilepsy.

Outside office hours or in case of emergency you may ask for the neurologist in charge.

Working together for the best possible care

Kempenhaeghe and Maastricht UMC+, who consider epilepsy as their priority, are the Academic Center for Epileptology. Both organizations complement one another. As a result, doctors and facilities are easily accessible to patients.

Patients often discover in the Academic Center for Epileptology new angles to the approach of their chronic disorder. Education and innovation are strategic pillars in cooperation, in addition to patient care and expertise development. Our goal is to further help the ever-large group of children and adults with a complex type of epilepsy. Also check: http://neurointerventiecentrum.mumc.nl/aandoeningen/epilepsie/epilepsie (in Dutch only).

Kempenhaeghe focuses on the exchange of information between general hospitals and specialized epilepsy care in order to offer all epilepsy patients the best possible care. This is done through consultants and epilepsy outpatient clinics in hospitals. The recent foundation of the Netherlands Epilepsy Network is an extra impulse to this quest.