Tamer Ghanem1, Stephen V Early. 1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA. tg6t@virginia.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare an otolaryngologist's experience with a cohort of epilepsy patients implanted with a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) to previously published data. METHODS: Demographics, preoperative seizure frequency, medications, and complications were retrospectively collected from patients implanted by the senior author. Postoperative medications and seizure frequency were obtained from referring neurologists. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were implanted over a 24-month period. Average age was 28.3 years. Patients presented with petit mal (n = 3), tonic-clonic (n = 6), complex partial (n = 5), and grand mal (n = 8) seizures. Mean follow-up postimplantation was 13.5 months. Most patients had at least a 50% reduction of seizure frequency, with 3 patients being seizure free. There were no postoperative infections. One patient had left vocal cord immobility. The most common side effect was voice disturbance during device activation. CONCLUSION: Otolaryngologists are well equipped to perform VNS implantation and to diagnose and treat possible laryngeal side effects. EBM RATING: C-4.
OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to compare an otolaryngologist's experience with a cohort of epilepsypatients implanted with a vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) to previously published data. METHODS: Demographics, preoperative seizure frequency, medications, and complications were retrospectively collected from patients implanted by the senior author. Postoperative medications and seizure frequency were obtained from referring neurologists. RESULTS: Seventeen patients were implanted over a 24-month period. Average age was 28.3 years. Patients presented with petit mal (n = 3), tonic-clonic (n = 6), complex partial (n = 5), and grand mal (n = 8) seizures. Mean follow-up postimplantation was 13.5 months. Most patients had at least a 50% reduction of seizure frequency, with 3 patients being seizure free. There were no postoperative infections. One patient had left vocal cord immobility. The most common side effect was voice disturbance during device activation. CONCLUSION: Otolaryngologists are well equipped to perform VNS implantation and to diagnose and treat possible laryngeal side effects. EBM RATING: C-4.
Authors: David Frausto Peña; Jessica E Childs; Shawn Willett; Analicia Vital; Christa K McIntyre; Sven Kroener Journal: Front Behav Neurosci Date: 2014-09-18 Impact factor: 3.558
Authors: S Grasl; S Janik; A Dressler; R Diehm; G Gröppel; K Eichinger; M C Grasl; W Gstoettner; M Feucht; E Vyskocil; W D Baumgartner Journal: Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol Date: 2021-07-01 Impact factor: 2.503