[Ketogenic] Treating seizures in ICU w/ Ketogenic Diet

[KarenB]

This past couple weeks have been our check-ups w/ Neurologist & Dietician. When I asked our dietician about her case-load (of patients on the Ketogenic diet) she said she had 22 children, and was in the process of treating 2 adult patients in ICU, which is a new type of treatment at the U of Rochester Medical Center (brought over by a neurologist who had been successfully using it in Baltimore).

1) Patient #1 was admitted to ICU in status epilepticus; put into an induced coma, then given Ketogenic diet (formula via stomach tube) before being brought out of coma. Seizures stopped completely.

2) Patient #2 was in hospital for surgery to remove brain tumor. After surgery, the patient began experiencing seizures; treatment with Ketogenic diet resolved the seizures.

Pretty amazing, I thought!:rock:

 

[Cint]

It is amazing. Isn't the diet mostly for kids and high in fat/low in carbs? And they are basically fasting, therefore creating ketones. For someone like me who also has diabetes, that would disastrous!

But great for those who can use it!

 

[KarenB]

The diet was developed for kids by Johns Hopkins and Mayo because kids can better tolerate the high fat/low carb regime. However, in recent years, a number of adults are being successfully treated with the Modified Atkins diet.

Sadly, Cint, it probably isn't an option for you, with diabetes -- although that might be a good question for your endocrinologist and neurologist.

I'm not sure what the long term plans are for the 2 patients I mentioned above - -if the Keto diet was just being used for "rescue" -- or if the plan was for them to continue when they are released.