The article Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Status Epilepticus is a report of a case in which
an adolescent boy with epilepsy was admitted to the hospital in critical condition because of a
prolonged period of status epilepticus. Status epilepticus (SE) is defined as, “An epileptic
seizure that lasts more than 30 minutes; a constant or near-constant state of having seizures.
Status epilepticus is a health crisis, and requires immediate treatment.” (Medicinenet.com) The
adolescent boy had undergone a corpus callostomy, various drug therapies, and even had tried
the ketogenic diet but none of these treatments decreased his seizure activity on a long term
basis. After about a week in the hospital his condition continued to deteriorate …show more content…
A vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) is a device that is typically
implanted under the skin near the collar bone and sends electrical impulses to the brain to
regulate brain activity and help prevent seizure activity. After the VNS was placed the boy’s
status epilepticus was stopped, his seizure activity was decreased by about 50% over the next
year and a half, and his overall health improved dramatically. Although the VNS saved this
particular boy’s life and has been shown to be effective in other people, there have been cases
where a negative outcome has ensued therefor there is no definite correlation between vagal
nerve stimulators and a reduction in seizures and an improvement in quality of life.
I chose to research vagal nerve stimulators because I am a caregiver for an adolescent
boy with epilepsy who has a VNS and I wanted to learn more about it. Seizure disorders take a
toll not only on the person suffering from the disorder, but also the entire family of the person.
I’ve never seen an episode of status epilepticus but it sounds really scary. Reading this article
Maryjane Lane
made me really happy because I found it touching that the boy’s condition improved
an adolescent boy with epilepsy was admitted to the hospital in critical condition because of a
prolonged period of status epilepticus. Status epilepticus (SE) is defined as, “An epileptic
seizure that lasts more than 30 minutes; a constant or near-constant state of having seizures.
Status epilepticus is a health crisis, and requires immediate treatment.” (Medicinenet.com) The
adolescent boy had undergone a corpus callostomy, various drug therapies, and even had tried
the ketogenic diet but none of these treatments decreased his seizure activity on a long term
basis. After about a week in the hospital his condition continued to deteriorate …show more content…
A vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) is a device that is typically
implanted under the skin near the collar bone and sends electrical impulses to the brain to
regulate brain activity and help prevent seizure activity. After the VNS was placed the boy’s
status epilepticus was stopped, his seizure activity was decreased by about 50% over the next
year and a half, and his overall health improved dramatically. Although the VNS saved this
particular boy’s life and has been shown to be effective in other people, there have been cases
where a negative outcome has ensued therefor there is no definite correlation between vagal
nerve stimulators and a reduction in seizures and an improvement in quality of life.
I chose to research vagal nerve stimulators because I am a caregiver for an adolescent
boy with epilepsy who has a VNS and I wanted to learn more about it. Seizure disorders take a
toll not only on the person suffering from the disorder, but also the entire family of the person.
I’ve never seen an episode of status epilepticus but it sounds really scary. Reading this article
Maryjane Lane
made me really happy because I found it touching that the boy’s condition improved