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Home > Support Groups >Epilepsy Support Group > VNS Therapy |
Vagus Nerve Stimulation |
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Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve, the longest nerve in the body, is proving to be an effective treatment for epilepsy in .many cases. Two vagus nerves run along each side of the neck, then down the esophagus to the gastrointestinal tract; they affect swallowing, speech, and many other bodily functions. They also appear to connect to parts of the brain that are involved with seizures. In vagus nerve stimulation, a battery-powered device similar to a pacemaker is implanted under the skin in the upper left of the chest and a lead is attached to the left vagus nerve in the lower part of the neck. The batteries wear out after three to five years and need to be removed and replaced. |
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