The Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey

The Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey https://epilepsyinstitute.com/

04/02/2026

Joham.

Last year, he stood in front of our community — smiling, clapping, full of life — as his mother Zulma shared their journey.

It’s hard to reconcile that moment with where he once was.

Hundreds of seizures an hour.
ESES.
A wheelchair.
Nonverbal.
A feeding tube.

A childhood slipping away.

Today, Joham is seizure-free after hemispherotomy surgery.
He’s back in school. Talking. Growing. Living the life every child deserves.

Stories like his are why we do this — and why epilepsy surgery needs to be part of the conversation sooner.

We are so grateful to Zulma for trusting us, for sharing her voice, and for reminding everyone in that room what hope can look like when the right treatment is found. 💜

Last May, something really special happened.We brought together patients, families, physicians, and the innovators behin...
03/26/2026

Last May, something really special happened.

We brought together patients, families, physicians, and the innovators behind epilepsy care… and for one evening, it wasn’t just medicine — it was connection.

Stories were shared. Questions were answered. And there was this feeling in the room that’s hard to describe unless you were there — hope, relief, possibility.

As we get ready for our second annual Patient Appreciation Dinner & Epilepsy Surgery Symposium this May, we’ve been looking back at some of these moments.

If you joined us last year, we’d love to see it through your eyes too — feel free to share your photos and memories with us 🤍

And if this will be your first time… we can’t wait to welcome you.

Purple Day 💜Today is about more than awareness — it’s about understanding.Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide,...
03/26/2026

Purple Day 💜

Today is about more than awareness — it’s about understanding.

Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, yet so many continue to struggle in silence, often without access to the right care or treatment options.

For patients and families, seizures are not just moments — they shape daily life, development, independence, and hope for the future.

What many don’t realize is that for those with drug-resistant epilepsy, surgery can be life-changing… even life-saving.

At the Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey, we are committed to raising awareness, expanding access, and helping patients find real solutions — not just temporary control.

Today, we stand with every patient, every parent, and every family navigating this journey.

💜 You are not alone.

Last May, we gathered on the Hudson for our very first Patient Appreciation Dinner & Epilepsy Surgery Symposium — and it...
03/20/2026

Last May, we gathered on the Hudson for our very first Patient Appreciation Dinner & Epilepsy Surgery Symposium — and it became something truly unforgettable.

An evening centered around our patients and their stories, bringing together families, physicians, and the experts behind the technologies that make these outcomes possible.

Parents shared their journeys.
Doctors shared insight and experience.
And together, we were reminded just how life-changing epilepsy surgery can be.

We’re so excited to return to the same beautiful waterfront setting this May 14th for our Second Annual Patient Appreciation Dinner & Epilepsy Surgery Symposium.

As we look back on last year, we’d love to see it through your eyes too — if you were there, please share your photos and memories with us 🤍

03/05/2026

Drug-resistant epilepsy is treatable.
Surgery can be life-changing.

Epilepsy Institute of New Jersey
Schedule a consultation
201-361-5445

02/18/2026

One year later. One beautiful update. So grateful to see Ahlim happy. Our patients mean the world to us. Thank you for sharing your update, and we’d be honored to have you come work with us.
Let’s talk. :))))

Today on Presidents’ Day, we reflect on a lesser-known part of neurological history.Some historians and researchers have...
02/16/2026

Today on Presidents’ Day, we reflect on a lesser-known part of neurological history.

Some historians and researchers have suggested that James Madison, Theodore Roosevelt, and possibly Franklin D. Roosevelt may have experienced seizure-related conditions during their lifetimes.

In earlier centuries, epilepsy was highly stigmatized and often concealed — especially for public figures. Medical understanding was limited, and neurological diagnoses were not discussed openly.

While definitive diagnoses cannot be confirmed, historical accounts describing episodic “spells” have led scholars to explore the possibility.

One thing remains clear: epilepsy does not define intelligence, strength, or leadership.

Epilepsy care often requires more than one specialist.At the Epilepsy Institute, Dr. Luke Tomycz is a double board-certi...
02/12/2026

Epilepsy care often requires more than one specialist.

At the Epilepsy Institute, Dr. Luke Tomycz is a double board-certified neurosurgeon in both adult and pediatric neurosurgery, specializing in epilepsy surgery.

Dr. Alma Yum is a double board-certified neurologist in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology, specializing in adult epilepsy and advanced seizure management.

But epilepsy can be complex and some patients continue to have seizures despite appropriate medication trials. Others may benefit from a more detailed review of their diagnosis, EEG findings, imaging, or advanced treatment options that are specific to epilepsy subspecialty care.

As an epileptologist, Dr. Yum provides comprehensive second opinions. That may include optimizing medications, clarifying the diagnosis, managing neurostimulation devices such as RNS or VNS, or determining whether someone meets criteria for drug-resistant epilepsy.

For patients who have failed medication trials and may be appropriate surgical candidates, Dr. Yum and Dr. Tomycz work closely together — combining advanced medical management with surgical expertise when appropriate.

Epilepsy care is collaborative. And sometimes, a deeper evaluation opens doors patients didn’t know were available.

Dr. Yum holds adult epilepsy clinic on Thursday afternoons.






seizuremanagement
RNS
VNS
clinicalneurophysiology

02/10/2026

Meet Yulia 👋 The friendly voice, the calm presence and the person making sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes at the Epilepsy Institute. From your first call to your visit with our team - you’ll feel cared for and supported every step of the way.

02/04/2026

Just pulled out of the hospital — two epilepsy surgeries down, including one that reflects an important shift in how we think about tumor-related seizures.

Sometimes, a brain tumor isn’t just “an incidental finding” — it can be the driver of the epilepsy. And when imaging and mapping show it’s safe to remove, surgery can be the most direct way to treat the root cause.

What’s changing in the literature is the question: why wait until someone becomes “drug-resistant” if the seizure focus is a removable lesion and the risk profile is favorable? Earlier surgery may mean better seizure control and, especially for kids, potentially less cumulative exposure to medication trials that can carry cognitive or behavioral side effects for some patients.

Shout-out to my friend and colleague Dr. Andrew Hale for co-authoring a thoughtful paper on this exact frontier:
Hale AT et al., Brain (2022) — “Expedited epilepsy surgery prior to drug resistance.”

If you or a loved one has seizures and an identified brain lesion on MRI, it’s worth asking about an early epilepsy surgery evaluation — even if medications haven’t “failed enough” yet.

Article link (open access):
https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/145/11/3740/6670917





02/04/2026

Just pulled out of the hospital — two epilepsy surgeries down, including one that reflects an important shift in how we think about tumor-related seizures.

Sometimes, a brain tumor isn’t just “an incidental finding” — it can be the driver of the epilepsy. And when imaging and mapping show it’s safe to remove, surgery can be the most direct way to treat the root cause.

What’s changing in the literature is the question: why wait until someone becomes “drug-resistant” if the seizure focus is a removable lesion and the risk profile is favorable? Earlier surgery may mean better seizure control and, especially for kids, potentially less cumulative exposure to medication trials that can carry cognitive or behavioral side effects for some patients.

Shout-out to my friend and colleague Dr. Andrew Hale for co-authoring a thoughtful paper on this exact frontier:
Hale AT et al., Brain (2022) — “Expedited epilepsy surgery prior to drug resistance.”

If you or a loved one has seizures and an identified brain lesion on MRI, it’s worth asking about an early epilepsy surgery evaluation — even if medications haven’t “failed enough” yet.

Article link (open access):
https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/145/11/3740/6670917




Address

150 Bay Street, Suit 317
Jersey City, NJ
07302

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12013615445

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