Epilepsy

(asked on 2nd July 2018) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the timetable is for pacemakers that detect epileptic seizures to be available on the NHS.


Answered by
Steve Brine Portrait
Steve Brine
This question was answered on 9th July 2018

Sometimes referred to as a pacemaker for the brain, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) prevents seizures by sending regular, mild pulses of electrical energy to the brain via the vagus nerve.

NHS England already funds VNS for refractory epilepsy within specialised neurosurgery units in England. VNS is commissioned for adults and children who meet the criteria within the published policy on the NHS England website. This can be found via the following link:

www.england.nhs.uk/commissioning/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/2013/08/d04-p-d.pdf

The Department is aware of news reports about a new type of VNS device that allows the electrical pulses to be scheduled according to a person’s routine and seizure pattern. The device can also detect and respond to seizures. This device has recently been used for the first time at King’s College Hospital in London.

Reticulating Splines