Operative and technical complications of vagus nerve stimulator implantation.

Background: The treatment of refractory epilepsy by vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a well-established therapy option for patients not suitable for epilepsy surgery and therapy refractory depressions.

Objective: To analyze surgical and technical complications after implantation of left-sided VNS in patients with therapy-refractory epilepsy and depression.

Methods: One hundred five patients receiving a VNS or VNS-related operations (n = 118) from 1999 to 2008 were investigated retrospectively.

Right-sided vagus nerve stimulation in humans: an effective therapy?

Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an additive treatment option for refractory epilepsy. The electrode is placed on the cervical trunk of the left vagus nerve. In patients who are not suitable for left-sided vagus nerve stimulation (L-VNS) right-sided vagus nerve stimulation (R-VNS) may be as effective.

Zebra sign: cerebellar bleeding pattern characteristic of cerebrospinal fluid loss. Case report.

Supratentorial subdural hematoma is a well-known complication following spinal interventions. Less often, spinal or supratentorial interventions cause remote cerebellar hemorrhage (RCH). The exact pathomechanism accounting for RCH remains unclear, but an interventional or postinterventional loss of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) seems to be involved in almost all cases.