VNS Pulse Generator and Lead
Vagus Nerve Stimulator · VNS Therapy Generator · VNS Therapy Lead · SenTiva · AspireSR · Pulse generator · VNS battery
The generator is a small, flat, rounded metal case with a clear plastic header where the lead plugs in. The lead is a thin insulated wire with a connector pin at one end and spiral electrodes at the other that wrap around the nerve. The lead package includes silicone tie-downs, and the generator comes with a hex screwdriver.
On the table
What it does, the lengths it comes in and what experienced techs know about it.
What it’s for
The implanted parts of vagus nerveVAY-gus nervThe 10th cranial nerve, which runs from the brain stem to the chest and belly and slows the heart and helps digestion.Full entry stimulation for drug-resistant epilepsyEP-ih-lep-seeA long-term brain condition in which a person has repeated seizures that are not caused by another illness.Full entry . The lead's electrodes go around the left vagus nerve in the neck, and the generator sits in a pocket in the left upper chest or along the armpit border. In a replacement, the company supplies a new generator and a new lead; the programming wand and programmer (tablet) are used to check and set the device.
Lengths and variants
Leads come with 2.0 mm or 3.0 mm electrode inner diameter; the lead should fit snugly without squeezing the nerve, and 2.0 mm fits most nerves. Generator models include SenTiva (Model 1000) and SenTiva DUO (Model 1000-D).
What experienced techs know
What techs who reach for it every day know about it.Pro
Through the case
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- During the case
Caution
What not to do with it, and why.Pro
- After the case
Care and reprocessing
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Where it’s kept
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5 sources
- ncbi.nlm.nih.gov (StatPearls, Vagus Nerve Stimulator)
- LivaNova. SenTiva Technical Guide, p. 5
- LivaNova. VNS Therapy Surgical Procedure, New Implant (IM-7600387-EPI), pp. 20, 21, 24, 25
- Cyberonics/FDA. VNS Therapy System Introduction to Device Manual, p. 16
- livanova.com
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