Vagus Nerve Stimulation Helps Children With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
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Source: Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery
Summary
A study was conducted to look at how effective Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) is for children with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), which means their seizures do not respond well to medication. The research involved 21 children who had VNS implanted between November 2021 and December 2024. The study gathered information on their seizure frequency, hospital visits, side effects, and how caregivers felt about their quality of life after the treatment.
The results showed that VNS was quite effective. About 86% of the children had a significant reduction in their seizures, with many experiencing over 80% fewer seizures. Caregivers reported that 90% of the children had a good quality of life, with nearly half giving the highest possible rating. Additionally, most children had fewer hospital visits after getting VNS, and some needed fewer medications. The side effects reported were mostly mild and temporary, and there were no deaths during the study.
This study is important because it suggests that VNS can be a safe and helpful option for children with DRE, especially for those who cannot have surgery. However, the study had a small number of participants and looked back at past cases, so more research is needed to confirm these findings and improve how VNS is used in treatment.
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