Vagal Nerve Stimulator
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is recognized internationally for the medical management of epilepsy. When medication alone can't control seizures, we evaluate patients for other treatment options, such as surgical removal of the epileptic focus or implantation of the vagal nerve stimulator. This approach is especially beneficial for children, who can be spared the learning and developmental problems associated with poor seizure control.
The Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS) is a device about the size of a hockey puck, which is placed in the chest in a manner similar to a pacemaker for the heart. The surgeon then wraps its lead wires around the vagus nerve. Once implanted, the neurologist will program the Vagal Nerve Stimulator to deliver a series of stimulations to the vagus nerve at various strengths and frequencies.
The vagal nerve stimulator, which controls seizures by sending electrical pulses to the vagus nerve, can be implanted on an outpatient basis using a single incision.
The Medical Center - instrumental in the nine-year research effort that led to the device's approval - was first in the United States to implant the Vagal Nerve Stimulator in a human.
Learn more about the Vagal Nerve Stimulator and epilepsy at the Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center website.
Vagal Nerve Stimulator
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Winston-Salem, NC 27157
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