Advances in Stimulation of the Vagus and Trigeminal Nerves for the Treatment of Epilepsy

VNS was approved in 1997 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as an adjunctive therapy for reducing the frequency of seizures in adults and adolescents over 12 years of age with partial onset seizures refractory to antiepileptic medications. The VNS TherapyTM system (VNS Therapy; Cyberonics, Houston, TX, USA) is also approved in numerous countries worldwide for use in patients with DRE. Over 60,000 patients worldwide have been treated with VNS Therapy for epilepsy (https://us.new.cyberonics.com/en/vnstherapy-for-epilepsy/healthcare-professionals/vns-therapy/ about-procedure/; accessed December 30, 2013).