Epileptic children benefit from cutting edge implant

Abu Dhabi: Epileptic children in the UAE may now be able to enjoy an increased quality of life free from seizures thanks to an advanced new paediatric treatment option, available at only a select number of hospitals in the country, including Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

On Sunday February 20, four children suffering from severe epilepsy were admitted to Mafraq Hospital where they were the first children in the country to be successfully implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) — a pocket-sized electronic device used to control serious seizures.

Initially approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1997 as an adjunctive therapy for epilepsy, it has since been credited to improving the quality of life of countless patients.

Mafraq Hospital is currently only one of two hospitals in the UAE to offer VNS therapy.

According to the World Health Organisation, approximately 50 million people worldwide suffer from epilepsy.

Affecting the electrical activity in the brain, epilepsy causes sudden and incontrollable impulses to the brain leading to seizures.