If medications are not effective enough against epileptic seizures and epilepsy surgery is not an option, both children and adults may receive an alternative treatment: Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS).
The vagus nerve is an important nerve in the neck that connects the brain to other parts of the body. Stimulating this nerve can reduce epileptic seizures, which happens in about forty percent of patients. The side effects of this treatment are minimal.
During surgery, a stimulator is implanted directly under the skin or beneath the chest muscle. It is connected to the nerve via an electrode. The stimulator can be adjusted remotely to deliver a stimulus at specific times. In some cases, the stimulator can also provide a stimulus in response to 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.