Skip to main content
Advertisement
  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Education
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, & Social Justice (IDEAS)
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Neurology Future Forecasting Series
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center

Advanced Search

Main menu

  • Neurology.org
  • Journals
    • Neurology
    • Clinical Practice
    • Education
    • Genetics
    • Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • Online Sections
    • Neurology Video Journal Club
    • Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, & Social Justice (IDEAS)
    • Innovations in Care Delivery
    • Practice Buzz
    • Practice Current
    • Residents & Fellows
    • Without Borders
  • Collections
    • COVID-19
    • Disputes & Debates
    • Health Disparities
    • Infographics
    • Neurology Future Forecasting Series
    • Null Hypothesis
    • Patient Pages
    • Topics A-Z
    • Translations
  • Podcast
  • CME
  • About
    • About the Journals
    • Contact Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Authors
    • Submit a Manuscript
    • Author Center
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Neurology Video Journal Club
  • Residents & Fellows

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
Neurology
Home
The most widely read and highly cited peer-reviewed neurology journal
  • Subscribe
  • My Alerts
  • Log in
Site Logo
  • Home
  • Latest Articles
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Neurology Video Journal Club
  • Residents & Fellows

Share

April 14, 2020; 94 (15 Supplement) Wednesday, April 29

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Seizure Reduction in Medically Refractory Epilepsy (4089)

Ana Suller Marti, Richard McLachlan, Seyed Mirsattari, David Steven, Andrew Parrent, Andrea Andrade, Sandrine deRibaupierre, David Diosy, Keith MacDougall, Jorge Burneo
First published April 14, 2020,
Ana Suller Marti
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Richard McLachlan
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Seyed Mirsattari
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
David Steven
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Andrew Parrent
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Andrea Andrade
2Pediatrics, Western University
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Sandrine deRibaupierre
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
David Diosy
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Keith MacDougall
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Jorge Burneo
1Clinical Neurological Sciences
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Citation
Vagus Nerve Stimulation: Seizure Reduction in Medically Refractory Epilepsy (4089)
Ana Suller Marti, Richard McLachlan, Seyed Mirsattari, David Steven, Andrew Parrent, Andrea Andrade, Sandrine deRibaupierre, David Diosy, Keith MacDougall, Jorge Burneo
Neurology Apr 2020, 94 (15 Supplement) 4089;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Permissions

Make Comment

See Comments

Downloads
0

Share

  • Article
  • Info & Disclosures
Loading

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to define seizure response, seizure reduction rates and possible factors associated with a good outcome.

Background: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is a device approved for seizure management in patients with refractory focal epilepsy. Many studies were conducted with a variability of responses in seizure reduction.

Design/Methods: We interrogated the database of the epilepsy program at the London Health Science Centre, searching for VNS implantations in patients with medically resistant epilepsy since the VNS was available in Canada (1997) to September 2018.

Results: A total of 114 patients were included. The median age of VNS implantation was 34.4 years old (IQR=1.5–64) and the age of implantation was 26.5(IQR=20–34). 56.1%(N=64) of patients were male. 27%(N=31) had generalized epilepsy and the most common etiology was unknown in 27%(N=31). The number of antiseizure medications at the time of the implantation was 3(IQR=2–3) and the frequency of seizures was 25(IQR=8.7–60). The median follow-up period was 46 months after the implantation. The seizure rate reduction was −68.2%(IQR=(−92.6%)–(−37.1%)) after the VNS was implanted and 56%(N=41) had a seizure reduction equal or higher than 50%. The type of seizures with a significant seizure reduction (p<0.005) were generalized tonic-clonic, bilateral tonic-clonic and focal with impairment of awareness. The etiology with the best response was genetic generalized epilepsy (p<0.02) and the best models were 103, 102, 105 and 106. Complications were detected in 5.3%(N=6). Side effects were found in 63.2%(N=72) and the most common side effects were hoarseness, voice change and pain in the neck that improved over time.

Conclusions: VNS is a relatively safe therapy as an adjutant therapy in patients with medically resistant epilepsy, with a good response in more than a half of the patients. The patients with generalized and bilateral tonic-clonic seizures show the greatest improvement from VNS.

Disclosure: Dr. Suller Marti has nothing to disclose. Dr. McLachlan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mirsattari has nothing to disclose. Dr. Steven has nothing to disclose. Dr. Parrent has nothing to disclose. Dr. Andrade has nothing to disclose. Dr. deRibaupierre has nothing to disclose. Dr. Diosy has nothing to disclose. Dr. MacDougall has nothing to disclose. Dr. Burneo has nothing to disclose.

Letters: Rapid online correspondence

No comments have been published for this article.
Comment

REQUIREMENTS

If you are uploading a letter concerning an article:
You must have updated your disclosures within six months: http://submit.neurology.org

Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.

If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.

Submission specifications:

  • Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
  • Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
  • Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
  • Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
  • Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.

More guidelines and information on Disputes & Debates

Compose Comment

More information about text formats

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Web page addresses and e-mail addresses turn into links automatically.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
Author Information
NOTE: The first author must also be the corresponding author of the comment.
First or given name, e.g. 'Peter'.
Your last, or family, name, e.g. 'MacMoody'.
Your email address, e.g. higgs-boson@gmail.com
Your role and/or occupation, e.g. 'Orthopedic Surgeon'.
Your organization or institution (if applicable), e.g. 'Royal Free Hospital'.
Publishing Agreement
NOTE: All authors, besides the first/corresponding author, must complete a separate Publishing Agreement Form and provide via email to the editorial office before comments can be posted.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Vertical Tabs

You May Also be Interested in

Back to top
  • Article
  • Info & Disclosures
Advertisement

Hemiplegic Migraine Associated With PRRT2 Variations A Clinical and Genetic Study

Dr. Robert Shapiro and Dr. Amynah Pradhan

► Watch

Related Articles

  • No related articles found.

Alert Me

  • Alert me when eletters are published
Neurology: 100 (5)

Articles

  • Ahead of Print
  • Current Issue
  • Past Issues
  • Popular Articles
  • Translations

About

  • About the Journals
  • Ethics Policies
  • Editors & Editorial Board
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Submit

  • Author Center
  • Submit a Manuscript
  • Information for Reviewers
  • AAN Guidelines
  • Permissions

Subscribers

  • Subscribe
  • Activate a Subscription
  • Sign up for eAlerts
  • RSS Feed
Site Logo
  • Visit neurology Template on Facebook
  • Follow neurology Template on Twitter
  • Visit Neurology on YouTube
  • Neurology
  • Neurology: Clinical Practice
  • Neurology: Education
  • Neurology: Genetics
  • Neurology: Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation
  • AAN.com
  • AANnews
  • Continuum
  • Brain & Life
  • Neurology Today

Wolters Kluwer Logo

Neurology | Print ISSN:0028-3878
Online ISSN:1526-632X

© 2023 American Academy of Neurology

  • Privacy Policy
  • Feedback
  • Advertise