Past clinical trials using the brain-responsive neurostimulator (RNS) system have traditionally excluded patients with a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). The RNS is a brain-machine interface, while VNS stimulates a nerve. Both are helpful for epilepsy treatment, and they act in different locations, opening up the possibility that they might be used together.
Study Summary: Combining RNS and VNS Treatments for Adults with Drug-Resistant Epilepsy
Past clinical trials using the brain-responsive neurostimulator (RNS) system have traditionally excluded patients with a vagus nerve stimulator (VNS). The RNS is a brain-machine interface, while VNS stimulates a nerve. Both are helpful for epilepsy treatment, and they act in different locations (see illustrations), opening up the possibility that they might be used together.
Faculty member Amir Arain, MD, contributed to a recent study that evaluated the seizure outcomes and safety of adults receiving both RNS and VNS stimulation.
The study results showed that the frequency of seizures in patients using both treatments was reduced by 43% after one year and by 64% after 28 months. The study was not powered to draw conclusions on the effectiveness of each system alone or in combination.
