A - You are a candidate because your seizures have not been controlled with medication, and we have determined where your seizures begin.

Epilepsy monitoring is performed at the Regional Epilepsy Center at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center in Milwaukee.

Epilepsy surgery is an extremely effective treatment for some individuals whose seizures have failed to come under control with multiple medication trials. The process involves (1) identification of a single brain region causing your usual seizures, (2) determination if that region can be safely removed without damage to vital brain functions, and (3) brain surgery to remove the area generating seizures while safely preserving important brain functions.

No, depending on the condition of the bones, severity of injury and size of the patient, not everyone is a candidate for this procedure. It is important to make sure the patient has the best chance for recovery, therefore employ the correct method for their situation. Patients must focus on all aspects to ensure you get the best outcome from a combination of the right implant and tools, minimal tissue trauma, proper pain management and possibly accelerated rehabilitation.

Candidates for this surgery are generally younger, more active patients. The partial knee replacement allows for symptoms of pain or discomfort. The procedure allows younger patients to buy time before they need a full knee replacement. The procedure is also effective for older patients if they have disease localized to one half of the joint.

Epilepsy surgery is appropriate for certain patients with medically refractory seizures. To be considered, a patient should have the following characteristics: The seizure focus must be in a part of the brain that can be removed with minimal risk to important functions like language, memory, vision and movement.

Epilepsy is a chronic medical condition produced by temporary changes in the electrical function of the brain, causing recurrent seizures which affect awareness, movement, or sensation. "Recurrent" is a key word because a dog who has an isolated seizure does not have epilepsy. Also note that epilepsy is not a disease but rather a neurological disorder that affects the brain and shows itself in the form of seizures.

Routine electroencephalography (EEG) can be a useful tool in classifying a patient's seizure syndrome. Some seizure manifestations are typical for seizure onset in the temporal, frontal, parietal or occipital cortex. Specific electrical discharges from these areas can help determine where seizures originate. Unfortunately, EEG is limited by the amount of time that can be sampled. The prevalence of any specific abnormal discharge is difficult to estimate from standard EEG.

If your vision cannot be improved by changing the prescription of eyeglasses and you are limited in doing your daily routine activities such as driving, playing golf, watching television, or reading due to cataract formation, you are a candidate for cataract surgery.

LASIK surgery is approved for patients 18 years or older who are nearsighted or farsighted, with or without astigmatism. Your vision must be stable for at least one year before the procedure can be performed. Both the health of your eyes and your overall health must be taken into consideration, as well. Pregnant women, for example, should not have LASIK surgery done. The best LASIK surgery candidates tend to be people who are dissatisfied with their contact lenses or glasses.

Once it is clear that a patient has refractory epilepsy, there is little to gain by waiting. After decades of uncontrolled seizures a patient may develop a lifestyle of restricted activity, and feel unprepared to take advantage of new opportunities even if he or she becomes seizure free after surgery. Thus, age, attitudes, lifestyle, family support and educational background all enter into the equation. The average age at the time of surgery is 20-40 years. The ideal age may be younger still.

Candidates are at least 100 pounds overweight. That translates to a body mass index of 40 or over. You should have previously attempted to lose weight through traditional methods, including dieting, nutritional counseling and commercial or hospital-based weight-loss programs. Candidates may have a body mass index of 35 and over if they have medical problems that are associated with obesity, such as hypertension and diabetes. To calculate your BMI click here.

Candidates for hair transplant surgery include men and women who are physically healthy, realistic in their goals, and have healthy hair growth to serve as donor hair. Any pre-existing medical conditions should be mentioned at the time of consultation as these may help to determine candidacy for the procedure.