{"id":7605,"date":"2026-06-01T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7605"},"modified":"2026-06-01T14:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T14:30:00","slug":"first-in-va-to-receive-cutting-edge-epilepsy-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7605","title":{"rendered":"First in VA to receive cutting-edge epilepsy treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-06-01T14:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

A groundbreaking laser procedure offers a safer option for epilepsy treatment<\/h2>\n

Back in 1980, when Robert Lindemann decided to enlist in the Army National Guard at just 17 years old, he was following a proud family tradition.<\/p>\n

His father and stepfather had both served in World War II, and for Lindemann, service in the military seemed like a calling. That calling carried him through nearly 33 years in uniform, rising from enlisted soldier to officer before retiring in Texas. But in the years that followed, a quiet battle began brewing, one he didn\u2019t even fully recognize at first.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started having episodes where I would lose chunks of time and feel disconnected from what had happened around me,\u201d Lindemann shared.\u00a0\u201cI thought it might be sleepwalking or exhaustion, but looking back now, those moments were early warning signs that something neurological was happening. At the time I had no idea what was causing them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, about five or six years ago, the situation became impossible to ignore. Lindemann had a major seizure and was diagnosed with focal epilepsy. He tried numerous medications, but he kept suffering seizures.\u00a0After years of failed treatment, he was referred to the epilepsy center of excellence at\u00a0Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center<\/a> in Houston.\u00a0He underwent numerous tests, including implantation of electrodes into his brain to determine where his seizures were coming from. The seizures were originating from deep in his right temporal lobe.\u00a0The normal surgical solution for this would be a craniotomy to remove a large amount of his right temporal lobe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a scary procedure,\u201d he said. Understandably, Lindemann was not eager to have brain surgery that would remove a significant portion of his brain.<\/p>\n

New option, new hope<\/h2>\n

Everything changed when Dr. Garrett Banks, a neurosurgeon at the Houston VA<\/a>, approached Lindemann with a different path forward.<\/p>\n

Banks told him he was an ideal candidate for a far less invasive procedure using a newer technology, Visualase. This technology has been used at a limited number of leading academic epilepsy centers but has never been used at any VA facility.<\/p>\n

Last week, Lindemann became the first patient in the VA system to undergo the procedure, with Dr. Banks and Houston VA\u2019s neurosurgery, neurology and radiology teams working together to make history alongside him.<\/p>\n

The Visualase V2 system delivers an extremely precise laser ablation through a slender fiber optic catheter placed through a 3.2mm hole in the skull, a hole smaller than a pencil eraser.\u00a0 Real-time MRI guidance allows surgeons to monitor tissue temperatures moment by moment, making immediate adjustments to protect surrounding brain structures while precisely targeting the problem tissue.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis minimally invasive procedure isn\u2019t just about small incisions or faster recovery,\u201d Banks said.\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s about preserving the cognitive abilities, dignity and well-being of the Veteran patient. The Visualase system can treat focal epilepsy with very little trauma, allowing people to return to their lives with less pain, fewer complications and greater confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-rate care, first-rate doctors<\/h2>\n

Two days after the procedure, Lindemann was discharged home, and four days after the procedure, he reported feeling great.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the Houston VA, I got first-rate care, by first-rate doctors, with the latest and greatest technology,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u201cYou can\u2019t beat that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The contrast with what he had expected\u2014the lengthy recovery and significant risks of open brain surgery\u2014was striking. The tiny incision, the shorter hospital stay, and the speed of his recovery all reflected exactly what the Visualase System was designed to deliver.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Expanding care for Veterans across the VA<\/h2>\n

Houston VA\u2019s successful first use of the Visualase V2 opens a new chapter in VA\u2019s neurosurgical capabilities, bringing a gentler but powerfully effective alternative to open surgery to the men and women who have served our country. \u201cThis is an expansion of what VA can offer to Veterans living with focal epilepsy, deep brain tumors and radiation necrosis across the country,\u201d Banks added. \u201cWe are thrilled to be able to offer Veterans this amazing technology and dramatically improve their quality of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Lindemann, a soldier, an officer, a Veteran, and now a medical pioneer, it\u2019s one more mission accomplished.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A retired soldier becomes the first in the VA system to receive a minimally invasive Visualase procedure, offering new hope for treating focal epilepsy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":91,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-health-care"],"yoast_head":"\nFirst in VA to receive cutting-edge epilepsy treatment - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A retired soldier becomes the first in the VA system to receive a minimally invasive Visualase procedure, offering new hope for treating focal epilepsy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7605\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"First in VA to receive cutting-edge epilepsy treatment - 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