Vagus Nerve Stimulation Indications [Neurosurgery Wiki]

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====== Vagus Nerve Stimulation Indications ======

Vagus-nerve stimulation ([[VNS]]) is the most common neuromodulation technique and has been approved by the FDA for treating [[refractory epilepsy]] and [[refractory]] [[depression]].

It is being investigated in heart failure, headache, gastric motility disorders and asthma. 

Although it has been used (off label) for treatment-resistant depression and other psychiatric conditions, the FDA approved indication is for adjunctive therapy for patients > 12 years old with partial-onset seizures refractory to medical treatment.

VNS may be relatively safe and effective for the fetus and mother during [[pregnancy]], and turning off VNS during pregnancy is unnecessary. However, owing to the small sample size and short follow-up time, further research is needed
((Ding J, Wang L, Wang C, Gao C, Wang F, Sun T. Is vagal-nerve stimulation safe during pregnancy? A mini review. Epilepsy Res. 2021 May 14;174:106671. doi: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2021.106671. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34022523.)).


===== Epilepsy =====

see [[Vagus nerve stimulation for drug-resistant epilepsy]].

===== Tinnitus =====

Results suggest that vagus nerve stimulation paired with tones could become an effective therapy for the treatment of tinnitus
((De Ridder D, Kilgard M, Engineer N, Vanneste S. Placebo-Controlled Vagus Nerve
Stimulation Paired with Tones in a Patient with Refractory Tinnitus: A Case
Report. Otol Neurotol. 2015 Feb 14. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25689839.)).

===== Depression =====

see [[Vagus nerve stimulation for depression]].