Epilepsy Behav. 2010 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Vagus nerve stimulator treatment in adult-onset Rasmussen's encephalitis.

Grujic J, Bien CG, Pollo C, Rossetti AO.

Service de Neurologie, Département de Neurosciences Cliniques, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Switzerland.

Abstract

We describe a patient with adult-onset Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE) responsive to vagus nerve stimulation. This previously healthy woman developed RE in the right hemisphere at the age of 27. Despite antiepileptic drug polytherapy, she continued to experience subcontinuous, simple-partial left-sided motor seizures and slowly progressive cognitive impairment. Resective surgery was not considered owing to the preservation of left motor skills. She was implanted with a vagus nerve stimulator at the age of 41; after 6months she experienced a greater than 50% reduction in seizure frequency, which persisted over 2years together with improvement of her neurological and cognitive status.

PMID: 21130042 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21130042