A 33-year-old mother of four has regained full consciousness after spending months in a coma following severe, treatment-resistant epileptic seizures, in a rare and complex case treated at Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in Jerusalem.

The woman, identified only as A., had been healthy and living an active life, working full-time and completing her academic studies with honors. Her ordeal began with what initially appeared to be an ordinary fever.

When the fever persisted, her mother took her to the emergency room. Initial tests did not reveal anything unusual, but several days later, A. stopped answering her phone. Her husband called an ambulance after finding that she was seriously unwell.

On the way to the hospital, she began suffering violent seizures. At one point, she lost her pulse and a paramedic immediately began CPR.

Doctors determined that A. was suffering from prolonged, severe epileptic seizures caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain. She was placed under sedation and connected to a ventilator in an effort to control the seizures and prevent further brain damage.

For approximately two months, she underwent intensive treatment at another hospital, including high doses of anti-seizure medications, biological treatments and implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator. Despite the extensive treatment, there was no significant improvement.

Her family was subsequently advised to transfer her to Hadassah Ein Kerem, where a multidisciplinary team of specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, intensive care and anesthesia took on the complex case.

After weeks of evaluation, doctors decided to perform an advanced invasive brain mapping procedure. Thin electrodes were implanted deep in her brain to precisely identify the sources of the abnormal electrical activity. The mapping revealed an extensive network spanning both sides of the brain that was driving the seizures.

Based on the findings, the team decided to implant a deep brain stimulation (DBS) system. The surgery, led by senior neurosurgeon and epilepsy surgery specialist Dr. Sami Hyman, involved implanting four permanent electrodes deep in the brain. The system delivers precisely controlled electrical stimulation intended to disrupt the abnormal activity and stabilize the neural networks.

DBS is primarily known for treating movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, making its use in such an extreme case of continuous seizures particularly unusual.

Within days of activating the system, doctors observed a dramatic reduction in the abnormal electrical activity. Under continuous monitoring, the sedation medications were gradually discontinued.

Then came the breakthrough moment: A. opened her eyes.

Her family said she gradually began recognizing her loved ones, responding to voices and communicating again. “A week after the surgery, she had already started responding," her husband said. “Little by little, she came back to us."

Dr. Hyman described the case as exceptionally rare and complex, noting that the patient's chances of recovery had initially appeared very low.

“This was a joint effort by dozens of staff members from different fields who did not give up even after months without improvement," he said. “By combining advanced technology with out-of-the-box thinking, we were able not only to stop the seizures, but to bring the patient back from a prolonged coma to full consciousness."

Her husband said the family received extensive support throughout the ordeal.

“The Hadassah team went above and beyond, both in treatment and support," he said. “The neighbors and friends also rallied to help us and prayed for us. The fact that she woke up and is where she is today is nothing short of a miracle."

“For my children, their mother is coming back healthy," he added.