This device, which is placed under the skin at the level of the collarbone, is barely detectable, but it literally changes the lives of patients and their families, as is the case for Julianne Laprise.
The teenager, who has a moderate intellectual disability, was diagnosed with epilepsy at 18 months. Its symptoms are manifested by absences.
She recently had a vagus nerve stimulator under her skin that left her with only two small scars. The young girl says she doesn’t feel anything at all, except for a few small vibrations when the stimulator is working.
Juliane receives 30-second electrical impulses, every five minutes, 24 hours a day.
Julianne’s mother, Guylaine Tassé, explains that before this device, her daughter might have three to four epileptic seizures a day.
Whereas previously she had to go to Montreal or Quebec City for care or treatment, Julianne only had to go to the CHUS Fleurimont last fall to be operated on by the neurosurgeon, Dr. Christian Iorio-Morin.
The stimulator consists of a battery and an electrode that is implanted [dans le cou]. This system sends electricity to the nerve, it goes up to the brain, it resets epileptic seizures and resets the electrical activity of the brain,
says Christian Iorio-Morin.
« It doesn’t cure epilepsy, what it does is control the seizures, make them less frequent and less long. »
It was this device that was placed under Julianne’s skin.
Photo : Radio-Canada
The neurologist for children at the CHUS Hôpital Fleurimont, David Dufresne, points out that in fact epileptic seizures are unpredictable, making the autonomy of these people more difficult. You can imagine, if at any time you can fall to the ground, hurt yourself, do that in the car for example, in the bath, in the swimming pool, well you have to plan for that,
he explains.
The neurologist adds that medication cannot always stop the attacks. [Le stimulateur] changed the offer of what we are able to do
argues Mr. Dufresne.
Medication reduction
The stimulator also made it possible to reduce Julianne Laprise’s medication by half.
Julianne is more turned on, she understands better, she explains herself better, more concentrated, more active… beautiful teenager!
rejoices his mother.
The device also gave peace of mind to his parents.
« It changed everything, we no longer have to say to ourselves: “we’re going to go grocery shopping and oh no I forgot the emergency medicine!” »
Of course it doesn’t work for everyone.
puts forward Christian Iorio-Morin.%, but other people it decreases by 70-80%”,”text”:”There are people in whom we put this and the seizures decrease by 10-20%, but other people it decreases by 70-80%”}}”>There are people in whom we put it on and the seizures decrease by 10-20%, but other people, it decreases by 70-80%.
Julianne is one of seven who received a pacemaker since last summer. The Integrated University Health and Social Services Center (CIUSSS) hopes to improve the quality of life of a dozen other people who are diagnosed with epilepsy each year.
With information from Marion Bérubé
