title: Experience with a Low Single Cervical Incision for Implantation of a Vagus Nerve Stimulator: Technique and Advantages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This report describes the technique for implanting a vagus nerve stimulator via a single low anterior cervical incision and discusses the advantages of this technique over that of the more commonly used 2-incision technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent implantation of a vagus nerve stimulator by the senior author over a 10-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred thirty-one patients underwent implantation of vagus nerve stimulators via the single-incision technique. There were no instances of vagus nerve injury, postoperative hematoma, or wound infection, and cosmesis was excellent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The single-incision technique described here for implantation of vagus nerve stimulators is technically straightforward and safe, and has significant advantages over the 2-incision technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA. Electronic address: ramesh.kumar@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Denver Health and Hospitals, Denver, Colorado, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Ken R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Winston
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: Zach
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Folzenlogen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000601:surgery*
keywords: Epilepsy surgery; Implantation vagus nerve stimulator; Single incision; Vagus nerve stimulator