title: Vagal Nerve Stimulation Effects on Generalized-Partial Seizures and Medication in Adult Drug- Resistant Epilepsy Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to find out if vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) affect the generalized-partial seizure count and medical treatment in adult drug resistant epilepsy patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty adult patients who were diagnosed with drug-resistant epilepsy were investigated retrospectively for vagal nerve stimulator implantation between 2001 and 2010 at the Neurosurgery Departments of Ufuk University and Gulhane Military Medical Academy. The effects of vagal nerve stimulation on generalized-partial seizures and medical treatment was scored and if a significant difference was found, a comparison was made by Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test and Pairwise. For all the group analyses, the statistical significant rank was accepted as a p value < 0.05. Bonferroni correction was made when it was needed during pairwise comparisons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VNS significantly decreased the scores of generalized-partial seizures. There was no decrease in the doses of antiepileptic drugs and the medical treatment was resumed as before the implantation. The results were correlated with the relevant literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VNS is an alternative treatment option for drug resistant epilepsy for patients who are not ideal candidates for surgery or are not healed after epilepsy surgery.
authors.affiliation: Yeditepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Selcuk
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdogan
authors.forename: Raziye Handan
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Nurhat
authors.forename: Ali Haluk
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Duzkalir
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yuce
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sabuncuoglu
authors.forename: Zeki
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gokcil
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Erdogan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069279:Drug Resistant Epilepsy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055536:Vagus Nerve Stimulation
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants