PATIENT SELECTION: EPILEPSY DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION

CANDIDATES FOR DBS THERAPY

You can offer your patients a clinically-proven, full-body MR conditional* therapy for adults with partial-onset (focal) epilepsy — including those with two or more foci.

Medtronic DBS for bilateral anterior thalamic nucleus stimulation is indicated as an adjunctive therapy to significantly reduce seizure frequency and severity for medically refractory patients with epilepsy. Together, you and your patients can have hope for better outcomes and improved quality of life.

DBS therapy may be appropriate if the patient:

  • Is at least 18 years of age
  • Has been diagnosed with epilepsy characterized by partial-onset seizures, with or without secondary generalization
  • Is refractory to three or more antiepileptic medications
  • Has averaged over six seizures per month for the last three months (with no more than 30 days between seizures)

If all the criteria apply, your patient may be eligible to receive Medtronic DBS Therapy for Epilepsy.

Best results are achieved with DBS Therapy for Epilepsy when the patient and caregiver are fully informed about the therapy risks and benefits, surgical procedures, follow-up requirements, and self-care responsibilities.

Download a Patient Candidacy Questionnaire to screen patients in your office.

DOWNLOAD QUESTIONNAIRE

RISK INFORMATION

Use extreme care with lead implantation in patients with a heightened risk of intracranial hemorrhage. Physicians should consider underlying factors, such as previous neurological injury or prescribed medications (anticoagulants), that may predispose a patient to the risk of bleeding.

Physicians should be aware that the risks associated with initial surgery may increase with clinical conditions such as:

  • Stroke or neurological disorders other then epilepsy
  • Cardiovascular disease
  • Renal or hepatic failure
  • Diabetes mellitus

To help ensure maximum benefits from the neurostimulation system, long-term, post-surgical management of patients is recommended.

Stimulation parameters should be adjusted such that maximal symptom suppression is achieved with minimal side effects.  The effect of the therapy may not be immediately apparent upon initiation of stimulation.  If seizure frequency increases when stimulation is initiated, adjustment of stimulation parameters may alleviate this effect.  Patients should be informed of the risks of higher parameters a noted in the appropriate information for prescribers booklet.

*

Medtronic DBS systems are MR Conditional and safe in the MR environment as long as certain conditions are met. If the conditions are not met, a significant risk is tissue lesions from component heating, especially at the lead electrodes, resulting in serious and permanent injury including coma, paralysis, or death. Refer to the MRI Guidelines for Medtronic Deep Brain Stimulation Systems for a complete list of conditions.