Epilepsy Implant Device: Vagus Nerve Stimulator

 

 

 

The Food and Drug Administration aapproved the first medical device for the treatment of epilepsy on July 16, 1997. The device, called the Vagus Nerve Stimulator is designed to prevent seizures. Many epileptics can control seizures with medication or surgery. (Surgery, hemispherectomies, can be helpful for carefully selected patients, especially children.) However, 15-20 percent of patients do not respond to these treatments. The vagus implant is a timely device for this segment of the population. The vagus nerve stimulator works similarly to a pacemaker. It delivers intermittent electric pulses 24 hours a day to the brain through a wire in the neck connected to the vagus nerve. When a patient senses the impending onset of a seizure, he/she can activate the device through a hand held magnet to deliver an additional dose of stimulation. The vagus nerve stimulator is made by Cyberonics, a Texas based company.

FDA APPROVAL

MEDLINE

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