What can you do with half a brain? Dr. Gary Mathern at TEDxConejo

[@iusandra]

I have been told that my daughter needs a hemispherectomy. This video helped me understand both the short and long term impacts of doing the surgery. My daughter has hundreds of seizures per day, many sub clinical and a dozen or so absence seizures. This is despite the fact that we are on our fifth anti seizure med. This video gives me hope that you CAN live a fulfilling life with half of a brain.

[@sandradelgadillo2345]

How is your daughter doing?

[@chosenundead9740]

It's killing one half to save the other

[@lili_yaps]

Hope she is doing well

[@adiadv10]

Positively incredible and inspiring! I found this video linked to a recent story about Christina Santhouse, the patient who was driving near the end. She's married, has a master's degree and is a speech pathologist. I loved Dr. Mathern's presentation.

[@carolapostolos8929]

Awesome achievements. God bless these children, their families, the therapists and doctors.

[@KathyClark652]

He's a hero in my eyes. He is not my son's surgeon but so knowledgeable and caring.

[@aliciabarger3147]

amazing! The miracle of medicine. God Bless these children, their families and the drs who care for them.

[@datkeks]

2:20 Wow, thanks for not getting a graphic scene warning. Now I'm disturbed

[@kkstar1297]

My neighbor had this done when she was only 6 and a half years old. But her hand can’t open very well. She has to shove things into her hand or her good hand has to open it for her. Im amazed at the fact that a girl who had this surgery actually opened her hand. THATS AMAZING!

[@Coppedge05]

This video helped a lot with understanding what happens after surgery. My daughter just had her video EEG and this surgery was recommended. While she doesn't have seizures all the time, she is on more than one medication that doesn't seem to give control. Thank you for uploading this video. If anyone has anymore information they can share, leave a comment and I will send my email address.

[@bigtexnick2188]

dr. gary is a hero

[@crissyvillasenor6754]

Dr Mathern is one of my Drs at UCLA he gave me my VNS and its helped me out with my seizures im so glad to have him DR Sankar and DR Youdvin without them there at UCLA i wouldn't be able to be where im at today . :)

[@jennyhughes4474]

What about kids who haven't got max health insurance - this op & long-term rehab must cost a fortune? Sadly my good brain was (and other parts of me were) damaged by doctors' errors and they dumped me, no info, help or rehab for me: NHS in the UK and the hospitals' and surgeon's legal teams prevented me from getting info/truth, remedial care and justice. Some docs do great things while others kill & maim their patients and get away with it so can continue hurting more people and nobody learns any lessons = bad for patient safety.

[@GreCon85]

How can I get in touch with Dr. Mathern? I live in Denmark and my 7 year old daughter suffers from RE. The doctors here in Denmark doesn't perform hemispherectomy, so we need to rely on medicine as long as we can. We need this surgery to give our daughter the best odds for a deasent future.

[@emilyk1066]

He isn’t doing surgery anymore sadly. I think he advises now though, so he could probably refer you to someone. Good luck to you and I wish the very best for your daughter.

[@withevanshelp]

Great presentation. Evan's surgeon was Dr. Mathern, left hemi 10 months old in November, 2010. Please visit his website, evanstauff. com to learn more about our experience. Please feel free to email me anytime with questions

[@berzerius]

Yay! future lawyers. Thats a good one.

[@Msbuddy08sej]

Brava.

[@mozilafirefoxva3994]

👍

[@nadiachocano1361]

💘

[@SoggyCow]

Removing half of the brain is unnessessary. Their connection only needs to be severed.

[@colbywestervelt6498]

I'm sorry that's not true when you have a diseased brain. He had Rasmussen Encephalitis of which the disconnect surgery is NOT an option.

[@chosenundead9740]

@@colbywestervelt6498 either way you end up killing a conscious entity

[@lexmerrill9295]

Unfortunate choice of words and humor, otherwise interesting presentation.

[@artemislogic5252]

this is disgusting, no one should take out the brain of another human, especially a vulnerable one that can't make their own decisions,

[@awkwardDebs]

It's more inhumane to leave them as they are, suffering constant seizures. If one who suffers from such is given the opportunity to live a functioning life, if they were able to make their own choices, they'd likely choose to take the chance.

[@taber1969]

Artemis Logic u shouldnt pass judgement based on ignorance. The seizures destroy the brain-so just allow it? Common sense here.

[@yazar8]

Your name has Logic in it but apparently you don't have it in yourself.

[@kkstar1297]

What is the point of keeping the hemisphere if it’s just getting destroyed anyways. It just makes it so much harder to function.

[@colbywestervelt6498]

When the human has a disease that will take your life, OR remove the diseased part of the brain and live a fulfilling healthy life, it is necessary. It is a life saving procedure.

[@Vojak3]

Blasphemy! This is madness!