An Overview of the Vagus Nerve Stimulator
The vagus nerve stimulator was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 for use in people with severe
seizures that are not well controlled by medication.
Recently, the vagus nerve stimulator was also approved for
depression that has not responded to usual treatments.
What Is a Vagus Nerve Stimulator?
The vagus nerve stimulator is a battery-powered device that is surgically implanted under the skin of the chest, much like a pacemaker, and is attached to the vagus nerve in the lower neck. This device delivers short bursts of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve. To turn the stimulator off, the patient holds a magnet over the pulse generator.
Using a Vagus Nerve Stimulator to Treat Epilepsy
On average, the vagus nerve stimulator reduces seizures by about 20 to 40 percent. However, in 20 percent of the people who received a vagus nerve stimulator, the number of seizures actually increased.
Patients usually cannot stop taking
epilepsy medication because of the vagus nerve stimulator, but they often experience fewer seizures and they may be able to reduce the dose of their medication.
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