OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in children less than 12 years old operated on at the University Hospital Wales. METHOD: Retrospective review of patients undergoing VNS insertion, over a 3-year period, was undertaken. All children had a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. Sixteen patients were identified via the paediatric epilepsy surgery database. A case note review and telephone evaluation was conducted. Seizure frequency using the McHugh classification was the primary outcome measure, with anti-epileptic drug (AED) use as a secondary outcome measure. RESULTS: There were 10 males and 6 females. The mean time with epilepsy prior to surgery was 5.7 years and the mean age at the time of surgery was 7.6 years. Overall, nine (56 %) children experienced a reduction in their seizure frequency of 50 % or more. Of these, four (25 %) had a reduction of more than 80 %. Seven children (44 %) had no reduction in their seizure frequency, although two of these patients reported benefit regarding seizure control and post-ictal recovery. The VNS system was removed in two patients due to infection and no benefit, respectively. Half of the cohort (50 %) reduced the number of anti-epileptic drugs post-surgery, and there was an overall mean reduction of AED of 0.5. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that VNS is a safe and effective adjuvant therapy in children under 12 years old, with over half reporting significant benefit. Further studies are needed to enable preoperative selection of patients in order to maximise the potential benefit.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the efficacy and safety of vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) in children less than 12 years old operated on at the University Hospital Wales. METHOD: Retrospective review of patients undergoing VNS insertion, over a 3-year period, was undertaken. All children had a minimum follow-up period of 2 years. Sixteen patients were identified via the paediatric epilepsy surgery database. A case note review and telephone evaluation was conducted. Seizure frequency using the McHugh classification was the primary outcome measure, with anti-epileptic drug (AED) use as a secondary outcome measure. RESULTS: There were 10 males and 6 females. The mean time with epilepsy prior to surgery was 5.7 years and the mean age at the time of surgery was 7.6 years. Overall, nine (56 %) children experienced a reduction in their seizure frequency of 50 % or more. Of these, four (25 %) had a reduction of more than 80 %. Seven children (44 %) had no reduction in their seizure frequency, although two of these patients reported benefit regarding seizure control and post-ictal recovery. The VNS system was removed in two patients due to infection and no benefit, respectively. Half of the cohort (50 %) reduced the number of anti-epileptic drugs post-surgery, and there was an overall mean reduction of AED of 0.5. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that VNS is a safe and effective adjuvant therapy in children under 12 years old, with over half reporting significant benefit. Further studies are needed to enable preoperative selection of patients in order to maximise the potential benefit.
Authors: Sylvia Klinkenberg; Marlien W Aalbers; Johan S H Vles; Erwin M J Cornips; Kim Rijkers; Loes Leenen; Fons G H Kessels; Albert P Aldenkamp; Marian Majoie Journal: Dev Med Child Neurol Date: 2012-04-28 Impact factor: 5.449
Authors: Robert E Elliott; Shaun D Rodgers; Luigi Bassani; Amr Morsi; Eric B Geller; Chad Carlson; Orrin Devinsky; Werner K Doyle Journal: J Neurosurg Pediatr Date: 2011-05 Impact factor: 2.375
Authors: Russell P Saneto; Marcio A Sotero de Menezes; Jeffrey G Ojemann; Brian D Bournival; Patricia J Murphy; William B Cook; Anthony M Avellino; Richard G Ellenbogen Journal: Pediatr Neurol Date: 2006-11 Impact factor: 3.372
Authors: Jeannette McGlone; Ivan Valdivia; Marsha Penner; Jaime Williams; R Mark Sadler; David B Clarke Journal: Can J Neurol Sci Date: 2008-07 Impact factor: 2.104
Authors: Will P Rodgers; Andrew J Durnford; Fenella J Kirkham; Andrea Whitney; Mark A Mullee; William P Gray Journal: J Neurosurg Pediatr Date: 2012-07-20 Impact factor: 2.375
Authors: Charles F Yates; Kate Riney; Stephen Malone; Ubaid Shah; Liam G Coulthard; Robert Campbell; Geoff Wallace; Martin Wood Journal: Acta Neurochir (Wien) Date: 2021-11-10 Impact factor: 2.216
Authors: Valentina Baro; Maria Vittoria Bonavina; Francesco Saettini; Giovanna D'Amico; Andrea Trezza; Luca Denaro; Daniele Grioni; Andrea Landi Journal: Children (Basel) Date: 2022-07-29
Authors: Hector M Romero-Ugalde; Virginie Le Rolle; Jean-Luc Bonnet; Christine Henry; Alain Bel; Philippe Mabo; Guy Carrault; Alfredo I Hernández Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-10-27 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Carlo Efisio Marras; Gabriella Colicchio; Luca De Palma; Alessandro De Benedictis; Giancarlo Di Gennaro; Marilou Cavaliere; Elisabetta Cesaroni; Alessandro Consales; Sofia Asioli; Massimo Caulo; Flavio Villani; Nelia Zamponi Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2020-08-24 Impact factor: 3.390