Turkish Neurosurgery 2016 , Vol 26 , Num 3
Vagal Nerve Stimulation Effects on Generalized-Partial Seizures and Medication in Adult Drug- Resistant Epilepsy Patients
Selcuk OZDOGAN1, Raziye Handan NURHAT2, Ali Haluk DUZKALIR3, Deniz YUCE4, Hakan SABUNCUOGLU2, Zeki GOKCIL5, Ersin ERDOGAN2
1Yeditepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey
2Ufuk University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Ankara, Turkey
3Mus State Hospital, Mus, Turkey
4Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Preventive Oncology, Ankara, Turkey
5Gulhane Military Medical Academy, Department of Neurology, Ankara, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.8534-13.2 AIM: The aim of this study was to find out if vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) affect the generalized-partial seizure count and medical treatment in adult drug resistant epilepsy patients.

MATERIAL and METHODS: Twenty adult patients who were diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy were investigated retrospectively for vagal nerve stimulator implantation between 2001 and 2010 at the Neurosurgery Departments of Ufuk University and Gulhane Military Medical Academy. The effects of vagal nerve stimulation on generalized-partial seizures and medical treatment was scored and if a significant difference was found, a comparison was made by Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and Pairwise. For all the group analyses, the statistical significant rank was accepted as a p value <0.05. Bonferroni correction was made when it was needed during pairwise comparisons.

RESULTS: VNS significantly decreased the scores of generalized-partial seizures. There was no decrease in the doses of antiepileptic drugs and the medical treatment was resumed as before the implantation. The results were correlated with the relevant literature.

CONCLUSION: VNS is an alternative treatment option for drug resistant epilepsy for patients who are not ideal candidates for surgery or are not healed after epilepsy surgery. Keywords : Drug resistant epilepsy, Vagus nerve stimulation, Epilepsy surgery

Corresponding author : Selcuk Ozdogan, drselcukozdogan@hotmail.com