Epilepsy surgery and vagal nerve stimulation: what all neurologists should know

Semin Neurol. 2008 Jul;28(3):355-63. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1079340. Epub 2008 Jul 24.

Abstract

Epilepsy surgery treatment should be considered as standard of care for all patients with medically intractable partial-onset epilepsy who are found to be good surgical candidates based on their presurgical evaluation. Delaying surgical treatment continues to be a problem among neurologists. The early recognition of pharmacoresistance and patients' referral for presurgical evaluation can shorten the time to identify potential surgical candidates. A successful early surgery can be expected to significantly improve these patients' quality of life, not only because of a seizure-free state but also by improving psychiatric comorbidities. Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) is currently the only FDA-approved neurostimulation treatment strategy for patients who are not considered candidates for epilepsy surgery. VNS has been shown to decrease seizure frequency by approximately 50% in 30 to 40% of implanted patients. The future of epilepsy surgery and neurostimulation for those individuals with medically intractable partial-onset epilepsy shows great promise.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Drug Resistance / physiology
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy / methods
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy / standards*
  • Electric Stimulation Therapy / trends
  • Electrodes, Implanted / standards
  • Emergency Medical Services / standards
  • Epilepsy / surgery*
  • Epilepsy / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Neurology / standards
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / methods
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / standards*
  • Neurosurgical Procedures / trends
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vagus Nerve / physiology*