The Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) Comprehensive Epilepsy Program was established in 1987 by James Valeriano, M.D. of the Department of Neurology and has become one of the largest such services in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia, a regional and international referral center. The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program is a member of the National Association of Epilepsy Centers and designated a Level 4 Epilepsy Center. We specialize in diagnosing epilepsy along with both medical and surgical treatment in adolescents and adults. AGH is part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System (www.wpahs.org), an 819-bed academic health center serving Pittsburgh and the surrounding five-state area.

Medical management in the form of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are used for initial treatment. The Comprehensive Epilepsy Program has participated in numerous investigational clinical drug trials over the last two decades, which provides an opportunity for patients to try an experimental drug before it is FDA approved if they have failed approved AEDs. Surgical treatment is available, which includes: temporal lobectomies, cortical resections, corpus callosotomies, and implantation of the vagal nerve stimulator. Surgical placement of depth electrodes and grid electrodes are utilized for localization if needed.