Biomaterial Database

Vagus nerve stimulation in the treatment of refractory epilepsy. 2009

Andrew H Milby, and Casey H Halpern, and Gordon H Baltuch

Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.

Many patients with epilepsy suffer from persistent seizures despite maximal anti-epileptic drug therapy. Chronic, intermittent vagus nerve stimulation has been proven to be an effective option for many patients suffering from refractory seizures who are not candidates for surgical resection. Although only a small minority of patients will be entirely seizure-free, vagus nerve stimulation, as an adjunct to medical therapy, may result in significant improvements in quality of life. Vagus nerve stimulation is generally well-tolerated, as device implantation is associated with a low rate of perioperative complications, and the majority of side effects are stimulation-dependent and thus reversible.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002986	Clinical Trials as Topic	Works about pre-planned studies of the safety, efficacy, or optimum dosage schedule (if appropriate) of one or more diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques selected according to predetermined criteria of eligibility and observed for predefined evidence of favorable and unfavorable effects. This concept includes clinical trials conducted both in the U.S. and in other countries.	Clinical Trial as Topic
D004827	Epilepsy	A disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of paroxysmal brain dysfunction due to a sudden, disorderly, and excessive neuronal discharge. Epilepsy classification systems are generally based upon: (1) clinical features of the seizure episodes (e.g., motor seizure), (2) etiology (e.g., post-traumatic), (3) anatomic site of seizure origin (e.g., frontal lobe seizure), (4) tendency to spread to other structures in the brain, and (5) temporal patterns (e.g., nocturnal epilepsy). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p313)	Aura,Awakening Epilepsy,Seizure Disorder,Epilepsy, Cryptogenic,Auras,Cryptogenic Epilepsies,Cryptogenic Epilepsy,Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Cryptogenic,Epilepsy, Awakening,Seizure Disorders
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D055536	Vagus Nerve Stimulation	An adjunctive treatment for PARTIAL EPILEPSY and refractory DEPRESSION that delivers electrical impulses to the brain via the VAGUS NERVE. A battery implanted under the skin supplies the energy.	Vagal Nerve Stimulation,Nerve Stimulation, Vagal,Nerve Stimulation, Vagus,Nerve Stimulations, Vagal,Nerve Stimulations, Vagus,Stimulation, Vagal Nerve,Stimulation, Vagus Nerve,Stimulations, Vagal Nerve,Stimulations, Vagus Nerve,Vagal Nerve Stimulations,Vagus Nerve Stimulations