Abstract
Objectives: The management of intractable epilepsy in children is a challenging problem. For those patients who do not respond to antiepileptic drugs and are not candidates for epilepsy surgery, vagal nerve stimulation (VNS), can be a viable alternative for reducing seizure frequency. We have reviewed the historical and clinical background of VNS treatment. We also include our experience at The Hospital for Sick Children in children who underwent VNS implantation. Methods: Forty-one children underwent VNS implantation for epilepsy over 6 years. After a mean follow-up of 31 months, 15 (38%) patients had a seizure frequency reduction of more than 90%. Fifteen (38%) children failed to respond to the VNS treatment. The device was removed in five children: in one, due to late infection; the other four could not tolerate the side effects of chronic VNS therapy. Two patients required reimplantation due to electrode failure. The most common side effects in our series were cough and vocal disturbances. Conclusions: Our results show that VNS implantation can be a safe and effective alternative therapy for children with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not candidates for epilepsy surgery.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1018-1026 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Child's Nervous System |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Aug 2006 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Anatomy
- Children
- Intractable epilepsy
- Mechanism
- Technique
- Vagal nerve stimulation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Clinical Neurology