NJ’s First Pediatric Thalamic Neuromodulation Procedure Advances Epilepsy Care
In April 2025, neurosurgeons at Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health completed New Jersey’s first pediatric thalamic neuromodulation procedure to treat epilepsy in a teenage patient at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center. A second procedure was performed on an adult patient at Hackensack University Medical Center, and an additional procedure was performed on a young adult at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Thalamic neuromodulation alters the activity of the thalamus, a critical relay center in the brain. During the procedure, neurosurgeons implant the neuromodulation device in the brain to detect abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures. When abnormal electrical activity occurs, the device delivers electrical stimulation to specific nuclei within the thalamus, modulating brain activity to reduce seizure severity and frequency.
“While not a cure for epilepsy, thalamic neuromodulation represents a significant advance in the treatment of this neurological disorder, offering an alternative that can significantly reduce seizure frequency, provide hope and an improved quality of life,” said Florian Thomas, M.D. Ph.D., chair of Neuroscience Institute and Department of Neurology at Hackensack University Medical Center, and Founding Chair and Professor of Neurology and Associate Dean of Faculty at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine.
Neurosurgeon Robert Goodman, M.D., and pediatric neurosurgeon Luke Tomycz, M.D., performed the procedures on the Hackensack University Medical Center campus; Dr. Tomycz joined pediatric neurosurgeon Lawrence B. Daniels, M.D., to perform the procedure at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
The successful addition of thalamic neuromodulation at Hackensack Meridian Health demonstrates the network’s commitment to providing leading-edge neurological care to patients of all ages. This innovative approach offers a new frontier of treatment options for people who are not candidates for traditional epilepsy surgery.
Learn more about our advancements in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery.