Pune: In a significant medical achievement, doctors at Manipal Hospitals Baner have successfully performed a Rare Vagus Nerve Stimulation Surgery on a 9-year-old boy from Bengaluru suffering from severe drug-resistant epilepsy.
The child had been experiencing recurrent seizures since the age of four, despite being on multiple medications. These uncontrolled seizures led to epileptic encephalopathy, causing regression in his speech, movement, and cognitive development.
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Rare Vagus Nerve Stimulation Surgery chosen after extensive evaluation
The boy underwent Video EEG monitoring at Manipal Hospitals Baner, which confirmed continuous abnormal discharges from both sides of his brain. After extensive discussions during the hospital’s comprehensive epilepsy surgery meet, doctors recommended Rare Vagus Nerve Stimulation Surgery as the best option over other surgical procedures such as corpus callosotomy.
Details of the Vagus Nerve Stimulation procedure
Explaining the procedure, Dr Amit Dhakoji, Head of the Department and Consultant – Neurosurgeon, stated that a small pulse generator was implanted in the left upper chest, with a wire connecting it to the vagus nerve in the neck. This device delivers mild electrical currents at regular intervals, helping reduce seizure intensity and frequency.
Dr Amit Dhakoji, who has performed over 500 epilepsy surgeries, emphasized: “This child’s development had started to decline due to uncontrolled seizures despite multiple medications. While VNS does not cure epilepsy, it can provide stability, slow neurological deterioration, and reduce seizure burden. The child has already shown early signs of improvement.”
The device settings will be adjusted every two weeks for the next three months, with continuous monitoring. The VNS battery is expected to last around five years before replacement.
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Commenting on the success, Anand Mote, Cluster Director, Manipal Hospitals Pune, said: “Manipal Institute of Neuro Sciences (NINS) remains committed to providing timely, advanced, and effective treatment for all patients. This rare vagus nerve stimulation surgery case highlights our dedication to innovation, teamwork, and patient-centric care.”
The Vagus Nerve Stimulation Surgery was carried out by Dr Amit Dhakoji and his neurosurgical team at Manipal Hospital Baner, which has a specialized unit for managing complex epilepsy cases.
