Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Few adverse events on heart rate have been reported with vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) for refractory epilepsy. We describe three cases with intraoperative bradycardia during device testing. PATIENTS AND METHODS: At our hospital 111 patients have received a VNS system. Intraoperative device testing is performed under ECG-monitoring. We reviewed the patients and their VNS-therapy follow-up outcome who experienced a change in heart rate, during device testing (Lead Test). RESULTS: Three patients with medically refractory epilepsy showed a bradycardia during intraoperative Lead Test. Postoperative the VNS-therapy started under ECG-monitoring. No change in cardiac rhythm occurred. Subsequent chronic stimulation is uneventful. All three have reduced seizure frequency. Two already have had their second implant, without the occurrence of bradycardia. CONCLUSION: In case of intraoperative bradycardia VNS-therapy onset should be done under ECG-monitoring. Subsequent chronic stimulation is safe in respect to heart rate. Bradycardia during intraoperative device testing is no reason to abort the operation.
Original language | Undefined |
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Article number | 10.1016/j.clineuro.2007.07.024 |
Pages (from-to) | 849-852 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Clinical neurology and neurosurgery |
Volume | 109 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Nov 2007 |
Keywords
- BSS-Electrical Neurostimulation
- Heart rate
- Vagus Nerve
- IR-61944
- implantable helical lead
- EWI-11141
- METIS-247069
- Electrical stimulation