Preserved vagus nerve stimulator function after radiation therapy

Epilepsy and breast cancer are both prevalent conditions. A subset of women with medically refractory epilepsy and vagus nerve stimulators (VNS) may later develop breast cancer and may require adjuvant radiation as part of their treatment regimen. However, to date, little data are available on the effects of radiation on VNS function.

We present a young woman with tuberous sclerosis, developmental delay, and medically refractory epilepsy who developed left-sided breast cancer. Her epilepsy became controlled with a recent addition of a VNS implanted in her left chest wall. She required adjuvant radiation therapy to her left breast, and this raised the novel question of the safety of radiation on the integrity and functioning of the device, which we explore in this article.

This case is the first report of a patient with VNS for epilepsy and breast cancer who received radiation therapy proximal to the device. The device continued to function properly despite the exposure.