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What is Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)?

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy and major depression. VNS uses an implanted stimulator that sends electric impulses to the left vagus nerve in the neck via a lead wire implanted under the skin.

Reported Purpose & Efficacy

Reasons and Efficacy
Purpose # of patients
# of patients with evaluations Efficacy
Major
Moderate
Slight
None
Can’t tell
Epilepsy 59 28 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none Efficacy_cant_tell
Seizures (grand mal or tonic-clonic) 19 8 Efficacy_major Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_slight Efficacy_cant_tell
Seizures (complex partial) 14 3 Efficacy_major Efficacy_slight Efficacy_none
Depressed mood 6 3 Efficacy_moderate Efficacy_none
Shock the vegul nerve 2 1 Efficacy_moderate
Other 2 0

See all 67 patients currently having Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

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Reported Side Effects

Side effects as an overall problem

Severe
 3
Moderate
 7
Mild
 25
None
 6

Commonly reported side effects, conditions, and hospitalizations associated with Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

Hospitalization 2
Pain 2
Raspy voice 2
Trouble turning neck due to pain 2
Difficulty speaking (dysarthria) 1
Hoarseness of voice 1
See all 31 reported side effects ▼ See top 6 reported side effects ▲

Reported Adherence, Burden & Cost See details from patient evaluations ▼

Adherence

Taking treatment as prescribed

Adherence of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

Always
 36 88%
Usually
 2 5%
Sometimes
 3 7%
Never
 0 0%

Burden

Difficulty being on treatment

Burden of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

Very
 2 5%
Somewhat
 5 12%
A little
 7 17%
Not at all
 27 66%

Cost

Paid out of pocket

Cost of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS)

$200+
 3 18%
$100-199
 1 6%
$50-99
 0 0%
$25-49
 0 0%
< $25
 13 76%

Report created on February 12, 2012.