Epilepsy Surgery Clinic

What we do

This is a multidisciplinary clinic with experienced epilepsy surgery neurologists, neuropsychologists, epilepsy nurses and neurosurgeons. The clinic aims to focus and coordinate the journey through to epilepsy surgery and afterwards.

The clinic does not replace your usual neurologist or epilepsy specialist, who will continue to see you as normal, and will manage your medication and general epilepsy care.

Who we care for

We care for people with epilepsy who are candidates for epilepsy surgery.

Epilepsy surgery is usually considered in patients with drug resistant focal epilepsy (failed >2 anti-seizure medications), and may be curative for some patients.

Recommended epilepsy surgical techniques include:

Resective, ablative or disconnection procedures
Diagnostic evaluations with intracranial EEG typically stereoencephalography (SEEG) or electrocorticography (ECOG)

We encourage and accept local, interstate and international referrals.

What to expect

Visits to the epilepsy surgery clinic are just like your regular outpatient visits, and may be carried out over Telehealth or face-to-face.

Commonly asked questions

Do I need to also see my regular neurologist or epilepsy specialist?

Yes, please keep all appointments with your regular neurologist or epilepsy specialist.

Do you write prescriptions, manage medications, or write support letters in this clinic?

No, we do not. These should be managed by your regular neurologist, epilepsy specialist, or GP.

Should I maintain a seizure diary?

Yes. While not essential, it is highly recommended and helps us make your assessment and treatment more efficient. If you do not maintain a diary, or your seizures are too frequent to record all of, please think about and record an estimate of your recent seizure activity prior to attending your appointment so that we can discuss these details with you. It is also very helpful for a detailed account of your seizures from yourself and others which may assist in your evaluation.

How to access this clinic

Referral from your GP

Please attend your local GP and obtain a referral as follows:

Request an "indefinite" referral to Dr Joshua Laing, Epilepsy Surgery Clinic, The Alfred, 55 Commercial Rd, Melbourne VIC 3004.

This referral needs to be received prior to your next appointment or unfortunately we cannot book the follow up in. A current referral is required for all clinic appointments. If not received your appointment may be delayed and you might be transferred to another treating clinic for follow up care.

Please ask your GP to fax to (03) 9076 7864 or email to epilepsy@alfred.org.au

What to bring

For a clinic appointment

On the day of your first appointment:

Your referral letter from your GP
Your Medicare card
EEG reports, MRI brain scans, and other test reports/results (if external)
Any other relevant specialist letters or medical records or reports that you have

To all appointments:

A seizure diary or other record of your recent seizures
A list of your medicines (or your actual medicines in a bag)

Bringing the above may save us and you considerable time and even reduce the number of visits necessary.

You are welcome to bring a support person (a relative, friend or carer) with you. If this is your first visit, or have difficulty remembering or describing your seizures or medicines, it is helpful to bring someone with you who is familiar with these details.

Clinic times

Day	Campus	Time
Wednesday	The Alfred	1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Clinic consultants

Dr Joshua Laing: Neurology / Epilepsy
A/Prof Andrew Neal: Neurology / Epilepsy