Delayed response of seizures with vagus nerve stimulation in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.

Patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (persistent tonic, myoclonic and astatic seizures) have a poor prognosis. Seizures occurre daily in most individuals and persist in 60-80%. Callosotomy may reduce seizure frequency, particularly for those with astatic seizures, but complete control is rare. A preliminary report suggested that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) might improve seizure control and quality of life, although to our knowledge no completely seizure-free outcome for patients with this syndrome has been reported following this approach. The authors report their experience about a 22-year-old white man suffering for astatic seizures and treated with VNS.