According to a recent study, vagus nerve stimulation helped lower hospital costs for children with refractory epilepsy.
Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological diseases worldwide and occurs more often in children. Approximately 70-80% of children with epilepsy are able to control the condition with anti-seizure medications. However, 20% of the pediatric population does not respond to these medications and suffers from refractory epilepsy. As a result, these children have to undergo multiple hospitalizations, emergency room visits; thus, considerably increasing their treatment costs. Now, researchers at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago may have found a way to lower these hospital costs for children with refractory epilepsy – vagus nerve stimulation.
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) involves a stimulator device that sends mild electrical impulses to the brain via the vagus nerve. The implantable device is currently approved for treating depression and epilepsy. Previous research has also explored its use in aiding stroke recovery.
The recent study recruited patients with refractory epilepsy treated with anti-seizure medications and VNS or only the medications. Researchers compared the hospital costs for both groups based on the Children’s Hospital Association’s Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database. Compared to the group only treated with medications, patients treated with a combination of medications and VNS saved $3,000 of epilepsy-related annual costs per year. Thus, demonstrating a significant reduction in hospital costs.
While we show lower costs to the health care system following VNS surgery, from a practical standpoint it means fewer hospital admissions because of seizures. Patients spend their days at home instead of in the hospital.
Dr. Sandi Lam, study author
Although the cost of out-patient visits was comparatively higher for the VNS group, these costs significantly decreased in the second year. The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of surgical options in treating treatment-resistant epilepsy.
Reference:
Lu Zhang et al, Hospital costs associated with vagus nerve stimulation and medical treatment in pediatric patients with refractory epilepsy, Epilepsia (2022). DOI: 10.1111/epi.17208
