Refractory Obstructive Sleep Apnea Secondary to Vagal Nerve Stimulation

Vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) devices are commonly used as a non-pharmacologic option for improved seizure control in patients with refractory epilepsy. However, a side effect associated with VNS device placement includes sleep-disordered breathing, which is complicated by the fact that a significant minority of patients with epilepsy have sleep-disordered breathing. We describe a patient with iatrogenically worsened refractory obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) secondary to VNS device placement, which resolved upon turning off the VNS device. This case highlights the need to screen for OSA in patients who are candidates for VNS device placement, as iatrogenic sleep-disordered breathing could place the patient at risk for adverse clinical outcomes, as well as paradoxically worsen seizure control due to poor quality sleep.