The efficacy of implant vagus nerve stimulation for intractable epilepsy / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To identify the efficacy and safety of implant vagus nerve stimulation (IVNS) for intractable epilepsy.Methods Eligible patients with intractable epilepsy during 2012-2015 were enrolled,and the information of preoperative evaluation was collected as baseline.During IVNS therapy,the process of seizures,the epileptic discharges of electroencephalogram (EEG),the complications and the changes of antiepileptic drugs or device parameters were recorded.The responder rate,the mean seizure reduction and the change of epileptic discharges were chosen as the indictors.Results Efficacy analyses were done in 33 patients,and the average age of these patients was 17.79 years.Seizure control improved over time with mean seizure reduction of 11.9％,17.3％,35.5％,38.1％,45.4％ and 50.0％,and responder rates of 18.2％(6/33),27.3％(9/33),41.4％(12/29),38.5％(10/26),7/18,and 10/17 at 1,3,6,12,24,36 months of IVNS therapy,respectively.In addition,the mean epileptic discharge reduction in EEG was 0.4％ and 13.0％,while the rate of patients who had epileptic discharge reduction of ≥50％ was 15.3％ and 23.1％ at 6,12 months of IVNS therapy,respectively.Conclusions IVNS is effective and safe.Furthermore,the efficacy of IVNS is time-dependent.