Vague nerve stimulation for medication-resistant generalized epilepsy

We treated 24 generalized epilepsy patients with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), comparing seizure rates during a I-month baseline with 3 months of VNS. Median seizure rate reduction was -46%. Sixteen of the 24 patients had better than a -30% reduction and 11 of the 24 patients had better than a -50% reduction in seizure rate. A mild cough during stimulation occurred in six patients. Patients with higher baseline seizure rates and later ages at epilepsy-onset had the best responses to VNS. Our findings suggest VNS is an effective treatment for medication-resistant generalized epilepsy even in patients as young as 4 years.