Vagus Nerve Stimulation
What is vagus nerve stimulation?
Vagus nerve stimulation is a treatment for children whose seizures aren't controlled with medication. During a surgical procedure, a small generator is implanted beneath the skin of the child's upper chest. Two thin, flexible wires are attached from the device to the vagus nerve in the neck. The device sends electrical pulses to the vagus nerve. This gentle stimulation helps prevent the abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures.
What are the benefits of vagus nerve stimulation?
Vagus nerve stimulation may:
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Reduce the number of seizures a child has
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Make seizures less severe and/or shorter
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Shorten recovery time
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Reduce the number of seizure clusters experienced
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Improve memory, verbal skills, mood and alertness
How is the vagus nerve stimulation system implanted?
The system is implanted in a procedure that usually takes about an hour. Once your child is asleep under anesthesia, the neurosurgeon will make two incisions:
The wires will be attached to generator first. Then a tiny tool will be used to tunnel the leads under the skin up to the neck. Next, - through the incision in the neck - the wires will be attached to the vagus nerve.
Two to four weeks after the surgery, once the incisions have healed, your child's doctor will program and activate the generator.
Watch Le Bonheur Surgeons implant a VNS device in one of our patients.
Will my child experience immediate results?
The device will begin to work immediately, but it often takes several months to notice the effects. The level of stimulation your child receives may be adjusted over time until the most effective level is determined.
Your child may still need to take medication.
You and your child may also receive a vagus nerve stimulation magnet. This can be used at any time to provide immediate stimulation just before or during a seizure. This may:
Are there any side effects to vagus nerve stimulation?
Your child may experience some minor side effects during the stimulation periods. They may include:
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Temporary hoarseness
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Cough
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Tickling in the throat
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Shortness of breath
These conditions typically decrease over time.
Who can benefit from vagus nerve stimulation?
Patients who experience partial seizures and don't have other serious medical conditions may be good candidates for vagus nerve stimulation. Vagus nerve stimulation is sometimes a recommended treatment for children with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or intractable epilepsy.
The multi-disciplinary epilepsy team at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center can perform an extensive evaluation to determine whether your child can benefit from this treatment.
What's recovery like?
Most children go home the day of or the day after their procedure. Your child may experience some soreness in the area where the generator was implanted. This can be relieved with pain medication.
The incisions heal within a few weeks, and the scars fade over time. The neck scar is usually located within a natural crease of the skin and becomes nearly invisible.
Why Le Bonheur Children's?
The epilepsy team at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center includes some of the most respected pediatric epilepsy specialists in the United States. The hospital's Comprehensive Epilepsy Program is a key component of the hospital's Neuroscience Institute, a center of excellence dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of neurological disorders in children and adolescents. Children from across the country visit Le Bonheur each year to be treated at the Institute.
Posted: 2008年4月30日
For more information please contact:
Neuroscience Institute
, 866.705.8279
