Refractory status epilepticus treatment
The treatment protocol for refractory status epilepticus is intensive and includes benzodiazepines, anticonvulsants, and eventually anesthetics for induced coma when polypharmacy is exhausted 1).
If seizures continue or recur after 24 hours following treatment with anesthetics, it is termed super refractory status epilepticus (SRSE). Because of high mortality with polypharmacy and continuous anesthetic use, there has been a great interest to use nonmedicinal devices like VNS 2).
Vagus nerve stimulation for refractory status epilepticus treatment
1)
D. A. Greenberg, M. J. Aminof, and R. P. Simon, Clinical
Neurology, McGraw-Hill Education, New York, NY, USA, 9th
edition, 2015.
2)
Kurukumbi M, Leiphart J, Asif A, Wang J. Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) in
Super Refractory New Onset Refractory Status Epilepticus (NORSE). Case Rep Neurol
Med. 2019 Jan 21;2019:7852017. doi: 10.1155/2019/7852017. eCollection 2019.
PubMed PMID: 30805233; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6360559.