Family of 3-Year-Old Girl Who Couldn't Stop Laughing Due to Rare Brain Tumor Thanks Surgeons Who Performed Life-Saving Surgery
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Surgery at Schneider Children’s Hospital is first of its kind in New York Area to treat laughing seizures -- a rare form of epilepsy The family of a 3-year-old Long Island girl today thanked physicians at Schneider Children’s Hospital who performed the New York area’s first-of-its-kind surgery to remove a tumor that was causing laughing seizures. Anastasia Lagalla of Ridge in Suffolk County suffered from a rare condition known as hypothalamic hamartoma (HH) — there are only 30 cases diagnosed annually around the world. A benign tumor located in the brain’s hypothalamus (or control center) causes a rare form of epilepsy called gelastic seizures that produces uncontrollable laughter. If left untreated, it could result in progressive deterioration.
Anastasia’s parents first noticed a problem in May 2006. What began as a few episodes a day of 10-15-second duration grew to major seizures that took place an average of about 12 times a day. As time progressed, Anastasia also would lie on the floor, kicking and screaming, in what appeared to be uncontrollable temper tantrums, according to her parents.
In January, 2007, Anastasia’s parents brought her to a neurologist, who ordered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans that revealed the brain tumor. From there, she was brought to Steven Schneider, MD, co-chief of pediatric neurosurgery at Schneider Children’s Hospital. On March 30, Dr. Schneider performed this first-of-its-kind surgery, assisted by Ashesh Mehta, MD, PhD, director of epilepsy surgery at LIJ Medical Center. During the operation, Dr. Schneider essentially “split the brain in half from the very top to the bottom without creating any significant deficits.” He removed the tumor using a special surgical navigating system (very much like a GPS for the brain), which allows pinpoint accuracy deep within the brain. Anastasia has been seizure-free since then. To view images of the surgery or the seizures experienced by Anastasia, go to www.northshorelij.com/anna Media contact: Michelle Pinto 516-465-2649 |
