Vagus nerve stimulation as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of patients with medically intractable epilepsy

Clinical results have shown vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to be both effective and safe when used as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of patients with medically intractable partial seizures. VNS meets the new therapy criterion for epilepsy being at least as effective as current therapies but in addition is free from toxic side effects, effective in both the short and long term as well as being easy for the physicians to programme and for the patients to tolerate. A major benefit is that therapy compliance is 100%. In the small population studied the cost benefit ratio is favourable. Further work is currently underway to identify which epilepsy syndromes or seizure types respond best to VNS and to clarify its mode of action. The Cyberonics NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis NCP/sup (c/) system for vagus nerve stimulation is approved in both the USA and the European Community.