Key result
Adjunctive treatment with a vagal nerve stimulator during pregnancy resulted in improved seizure control and a term delivery complicated only by mild preeclampsia.
Why the study?
Is vagal nerve stimulation a safe and viable adjunctive treatment for medically refractory seizures during pregnancy?
Case Report (n=1)
Is vagal nerve stimulation a safe and viable adjunctive treatment for medically refractory seizures during pregnancy?
Vagal nerve stimulation appears to be a viable adjunctive treatment option for medically refractory seizures during pregnancy.
Supports VNS consideration for refractory epilepsy in pregnancy; hypothesis-generating and needs prospective validation before broader adoption.
BACKGROUND: In patients with medically refractory seizures, vagal nerve stimulation is becoming an increasingly common adjunctive therapy. Although its safety and efficacy have been proven in the general population, little is known about its use during pregnancy. CASE: A 19-year-old primigravid woman presented during the first trimester for routine prenatal care. She had a past medical history significant for generalized tonic-clonic seizure disorder since childhood. Multiple medical regimens had failed, and a vagal nerve stimulator was implanted approximately 2 months before conception. The patient continued to take phenytoin, with improved seizure control. She had a term spontaneous delivery complicated by mild preeclampsia. CONCLUSION: Adjunctive treatment of medically refractory seizures with a vagal nerve stimulator is a viable option during pregnancy.
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Houser et al. (2010) conducted a case report in Medically refractory seizures (n=1). Vagal nerve stimulator was evaluated on Seizure control and pregnancy outcome. Adjunctive treatment with a vagal nerve stimulator during pregnancy resulted in improved seizure control and a term delivery complicated only by mild preeclampsia.
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