Vagus nerve stimulation therapy: 5-year or greater outcome at a university-based epilepsy center.

Objective: This retrospective study documented long-term outcome of patients receiving vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy for pharmacoresistant epilepsy.

Methods: Medical charts of 28 patients implanted for 5 years or longer were reviewed for changes in seizure frequency after 1 year of VNS therapy and at follow up, which ranged from 5 to 7 years. Numbers of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) taken by the patients were also computed at 1 year and follow up.