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The implantable device consists of a generator and electrode which transmits antiepileptic electrical signals to the brain through the vagus nerve in the neck. This signal may interrupt chemical and electrical signals before a seizure begins.

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LEXINGTON, KY (Sept. 1999) -- Specialists from the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at the University of Kentucky Hospital are the first in the state to implant a new device that may help control seizures in some epilepsy patients.

Called a "pacemaker for the brain," the NeuroCybernetic Prosthesis System (NCP System), marketed by Cyberonics, Inc., is the first device approved for the treatment of epilepsy. It’s designed for patients whose seizures cannot be controlled using medication and who are not candidates for epilepsy surgery.

Robert Gewirtz, M.D., assistant professor of neurosurgery in the UK College of Medicine, implanted the first device on Aug. 30 in a patient from Kentucky. It could take six months before improvements become apparent, said Jean Cibula, M.D., assistant professor of neurology and director of the EEG laboratory at UK, who cared for the patient.

The implantable device consists of a generator and electrode which transmits antiepileptic electrical signals to the brain through the vagus nerve in the neck. This signal may interrupt chemical and electrical signals before a seizure begins.

The device is implanted during a one to two-hour surgical procedure. Like a pacemaker, the pulse generator is placed under the skin in the chest. The electrode is then tunneled under the skin into the lower neck, where it is placed around the vagus nerve.

The NCP System contains a programmable chip which is set to deliver intermittent electrical pulses to the vagus nerve 24 hours a day. The patient also may activate the stimulator when he or she senses the beginning of a seizure. This is done by passing a magnet over the generator in the chest.

Epilepsy is the world’s most prevalent neurological disorder, affecting an estimated 40 million people worldwide. It’s characterized by recurrent disturbances in the normal electrical functions of the brain, which are known as seizures.

Cibula estimates that about 30,000 Kentuckians have epilepsy, and that approximately 6,000 may have difficulty controlling their seizures. "The NCP System gives us an exciting new tool for treatment which enhances the medical and surgical spectrum available through the UK Comprehensive Epilepsy Program," Cibula said.

For further information, individuals and their physicians may contact the UK Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at 606-323-0229.

By Vikki Franklin