The FDA granted Cyberonics (Houston, Texas) approval to introduce the AspireSR vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy generator for controlling seizures in people with epilepsy. This is the only VNS device that can adjust its neurostimulation in response to changes in the patient’s heart rate. Since a suddenly increasing heart rate in epileptics often signals the start of a seizure, the AspireSR may be capable of stopping seizures at an earlier stage.
Though the device is not able to stop all seizures in all patients, it has shown that ability in a lot of cases, and has reduces seizure severity and improved recovery in previous studies.
The device is implanted in a minimally invasive outpatient procedure and does not require any brain surgery. Residing on the chest under the skin, with electrodes projecting to the vagus nerve, the device continually monitors patient status and adjusts the electric signals it sends through the nerve.
The device has had European regulatory approval for over a year and has been implanted in a number of patients with positive results.
Product page: AspireSR…
Source: Cyberonics…