CARE Hospitals Successfully Manages Complex Drug-Resistant Epilepsy with Advanced VNS Therapy
34-year-old woman regains independence after years of daily seizures through advanced epilepsy care
CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, has successfully managed a complex case of drug-resistant epilepsy through a comprehensive, stepwise treatment approach culminating in Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy. The treatment helped a 34-year-old woman from Warangal, who had been living with almost daily seizures since childhood, regain her independence with remarkable improvement in seizure control, cognition, behaviour and overall quality of life.
Nearly one in three people with epilepsy continue to experience seizures despite appropriate anti-seizure medications and are classified as having drug-resistant epilepsy. While some patients benefit from epilepsy surgery, others require advanced therapies such as Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) when surgery is not feasible.
Thirty-four-year-old Pratima had been suffering from frequent seizures since childhood, resulting in repeated falls, injuries, cognitive decline, behavioural disturbances and complete dependence on her family. Detailed neurological evaluation revealed that her epilepsy was caused by a remote hypoxic brain injury sustained during childhood, leading to bilateral parieto-occipital gliosis. Despite being on multiple anti-seizure medications, her seizures remained uncontrolled.
A comprehensive epilepsy work-up by the multidisciplinary epilepsy team at CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, including advanced neuroimaging and prolonged evaluation, revealed multiple seizure foci, making conventional epilepsy surgery unsuitable. The team first optimized her anti-seizure medications, achieving nearly a 90% reduction in seizure frequency. However, persistent focal seizures continued to affect her daily life, prompting doctors to recommend Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), an internationally recognized, FDA-approved therapy for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy who are not suitable candidates for respective brain surgery.
VNS is a minimally invasive treatment in which a small device implanted under the skin of the chest delivers gentle electrical impulses to the vagus nerve in the neck, helping regulate abnormal brain activity responsible for seizures.
The procedure was performed successfully without complications. Following device programming and optimization, Pratima experienced significant control of her remaining seizures, along with marked improvement in cognition, behavior and overall quality of life. She is now more independent, actively participates in her daily activities and has regained confidence, while the caregiving burden on her family has reduced considerably.
Dr. Shashank Jaiswal, Consultant – Epilepsy & Neurology, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, said, “Every patient with drug-resistant epilepsy deserves an individualized treatment plan. In Pratima's case, optimizing anti-seizure medications reduced her seizure burden by nearly 90%, but persistent focal seizures continued to affect her quality of life. Since she was not a suitable candidate for conventional epilepsy surgery, we recommended Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), an evidence-based advanced therapy for carefully selected patients. Following VNS therapy, she experienced remarkable improvement in seizure control, cognition, behavior, independence and overall quality of life. This case highlights the importance of timely referral, multidisciplinary care, compassionate counselling and evidence-based advanced therapies in managing complex epilepsy. The confidence and trust shown by the patient's family throughout this journey also demonstrate how transparent communication and personalized care play a vital role in achieving successful outcomes.”
Mr. Abhinav Joshi, Hospital Chief Operating Officer, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, said, “This successful outcome reflects CARE Hospitals' commitment to delivering world-class neuroscience care through advanced technology, multidisciplinary expertise and patient-centered treatment. Our Comprehensive Epilepsy Program offers advanced therapies such as Vagus Nerve Stimulation, providing new hope and a better quality of life for patients living with difficult-to-treat epilepsy.”
Doctors advised that patients who continue to experience seizures despite trying two appropriate anti-seizure medications should seek evaluation at a specialized epilepsy centre instead of relying solely on repeated medication changes. Early assessment can help identify advanced treatment options such as epilepsy surgery or Vagus Nerve Stimulation, significantly improving seizure control and long-term quality of life.
