• Hai-Ong Lee, Eun-Jeong Koh, Young-Min Oh, Seung-Soo Park, Ki-Hun Kwon, and Ha-Young Choi.
• Department of Neurosurgery, Research Institute for Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School/ Hospital, Jeonju, Korea.
• J Korean Neurosurg S. 2008 Oct 1; 44 (4): 196-8.

ObjectiveVagus nerve stimulation (VNS) has been used in epilepsy patients refractory to standard medical treatments and unsuitable candidates for resective or disconnective surgery. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of VNS to patients who had refractory result to epilepsy surgery and patients with post-traumatic epilepsy.MethodsWe analyzed the effect of VNS in 11 patients who had undergone previous epilepsy surgery and patients with intractable post-traumatic epilepsy associated with brain injury. All patients underwent VNS implantation between October 2005 and December 2006.ResultsWe evaluated seizure frequency before and after implantation of VNS and maximum follow up period was 24 months. In the first 6 months, 11 patients showed an average of 74.3% seizure reduction. After 12 months, 10 patients showed 85.2% seizure reduction. Eighteen months after implantation, 9 patients showed 92.4% seizure reduction and 7 patients showed 97.2% seizure reduction after 24 months. Six patients were seizure-free at this time.ConclusionWe conclude that the VNS is a helpful treatment modality in patients with surgically refractory epilepsy and in patients with post-traumatic epilepsy due to severe brain injury.

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