If medications are not sufficient to control epileptic seizures and epilepsy surgery is not possible, both children and adults may receive another treatment: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS).
The vagus nerve is an important nerve in the neck that connects the brain with other parts of the body. Stimulating this nerve can reduce epileptic seizures: this occurs in about forty percent of patients. The side effects of this treatment are minimal.
During surgery, a stimulator is placed directly under the skin or under the chest muscle. It is connected to the nerve via an electrode. The stimulator can be remotely adjusted to deliver a stimulation at specific times. In some cases, the stimulator can also deliver a stimulation when there are rapid changes in heart rate, which often occurs during seizures.
The placement of the stimulator is performed in an (NVS-certified) hospital. The adjustment of the stimulator takes place at Kempenhaeghe.