Vagus Nerve Stimulation in Intractable Epilepsy. 2022

Cem Boluk, and Cigdem Ozkara, and Cihan Isler, and Mustafa Uzan
Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, Istanbul, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE To investigate and compare the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy in different types of epilepsy. METHODS Patients, who were implanted with VNS between the years 2005 and 2020, were retrospectively included in the study. Age, gender, age at seizure onset, epilepsy types, VNS implantation year, replacement year, pre and post-VNS seizure frequency, number of responders, number of antiseizure medication and adverse events were recorded. RESULTS In total, 41 patients were included in the study. The number of patients with focal epilepsy was 21 (51.2%). 10 patients (24.4%) had generalized epilepsy and 10 patients (24.4%) had ?combined generalized and focal epilepsy? (Lennox-Gastaut, Dravet syndrome). The Pre-VNS median seizure frequency was 1.5/day in the focal group, 0.6/day in the generalized group and 6/day in the combined group. Seizure frequencies dropped to 0.3/day in the focal group, 0.2/day in the generalized group and 3.0/day in the combined group at the 12th month after VNS (p < 0.001, p=0.004, p < 0.001). The response rate was found to be 68.3% at the 12th month after VNS. The number of antiseizure medications was decreased from 3.6/day to 3.1/day at the 12th months after VNS (p < 0.001). Two patients? (4.9%) VNS therapy was discontinued due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS The study indicates that VNS therapy is safe and effective in focal, generalized and combined epilepsy types. Despite having a low seizure freedom rate, VNS is a good alternative treatment option for patients who for any reason are not candidates for resective surgery.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
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
D000069279 Drug Resistant Epilepsy Epileptic condition in which adequate trials of two tolerated and appropriately chosen and used ANTIEPILEPTIC DRUGS schedules to achieve sustained seizure freedom failed. Drug Refractory Epilepsy,Epilepsy, Drug Refractory,Epilepsy, Drug Resistant,Epilepsy, Intractable,Intractable Epilepsy,Medication Resistant Epilepsy,Refractory Epilepsy,Drug Refractory Epilepsies,Drug Resistant Epilepsies,Epilepsies, Drug Refractory,Epilepsies, Drug Resistant,Epilepsies, Intractable,Epilepsies, Medication Resistant,Epilepsies, Refractory,Epilepsy, Medication Resistant,Epilepsy, Refractory,Intractable Epilepsies,Medication Resistant Epilepsies,Refractory Epilepsies,Refractory Epilepsies, Drug,Refractory Epilepsy, Drug,Resistant Epilepsies, Drug,Resistant Epilepsies, Medication,Resistant Epilepsy, Drug,Resistant Epilepsy, Medication
D012189 Retrospective Studies Studies used to test etiologic hypotheses in which inferences about an exposure to putative causal factors are derived from data relating to characteristics of persons under study or to events or experiences in their past. The essential feature is that some of the persons under study have the disease or outcome of interest and their characteristics are compared with those of unaffected persons. Retrospective Study,Studies, Retrospective,Study, Retrospective
D016896 Treatment Outcome Evaluation undertaken to assess the results or consequences of management and procedures used in combating disease in order to determine the efficacy, effectiveness, safety, and practicability of these interventions in individual cases or series. Rehabilitation Outcome,Treatment Effectiveness,Clinical Effectiveness,Clinical Efficacy,Patient-Relevant Outcome,Treatment Efficacy,Effectiveness, Clinical,Effectiveness, Treatment,Efficacy, Clinical,Efficacy, Treatment,Outcome, Patient-Relevant,Outcome, Rehabilitation,Outcome, Treatment,Outcomes, Patient-Relevant,Patient Relevant Outcome,Patient-Relevant Outcomes
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

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