How Does Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy work?
The Vagus nerve stimulation is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy and the treatment resistant depression. VNS uses an implanted stimulator that sends the electric impulses to the left vagus nerve in the neck via a lead wire implanted under the skin. Because the vagus nerve is directly responsible for the number of bodily functions, such as breathing, maintaining the digestive function. The vagus nerve disorders is also known as or related to tenth cranial nerve lesion, vagus nerve palsy, vagus nerve structure or the body structure, disorder of pneumogastric nerve, vagus nerve, cranial nerve.
The Pulse Generator (battery) delivers a small amount of electrical current to the vagus nerve intermittently (30 seconds on and five minutes off ) (note 3) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for up to 10 years. The stimulation is delivered automatically, so the patient does not have to do anything. Because there is nothing to remember, compliance is assured. The stimulation is not supposed to be uncomfortable, and some patients do not even feel the stimulation. A nurse at the doctor’s office can adjust the level of stimulation (amount of electricity delivered) if the patient ever feels uncomfortable. In the study currently being reviewed by the FDA, researchers noted several similarities between epileptic and depressed patients (note 4). One of the most important similarities is that Vagus Nerve Stimulation treatment efficacy improves over time. The longer the patient receives stimulation, the better the results.
