- Bergey, Gregory;
- Morrell, Martha;
- Mizrahi, Eli;
- Goldman, Alica;
- King-Stephens, David;
- Nair, Dileep;
- Srinivasan, Shraddha;
- Jobst, Barbara;
- Gross, Robert;
- Shields, Donald;
- Barkley, Gregory;
- Salanova, Vicenta;
- Olejniczak, Piotr;
- Cole, Andrew;
- Cash, Sydney;
- Noe, Katherine;
- Wharen, Robert;
- Worrell, Gregory;
- Murro, Anthony;
- Edwards, Jonathan;
- Duchowny, Michael;
- Spencer, David;
- Smith, Michael;
- Geller, Eric;
- Gwinn, Ryder;
- Skidmore, Christopher;
- Eisenschenk, Stephan;
- Berg, Michel;
- Heck, Christianne;
- Van Ness, Paul;
- Fountain, Nathan;
- Rutecki, Paul;
- Massey, Andrew;
- ODonovan, Cormac;
- Labar, Douglas;
- Duckrow, Robert;
- Hirsch, Lawrence;
- Courtney, Tracy;
- Sun, Felice;
- Seale, Cairn
OBJECTIVE: The long-term efficacy and safety of responsive direct neurostimulation was assessed in adults with medically refractory partial onset seizures. METHODS: All participants were treated with a cranially implanted responsive neurostimulator that delivers stimulation to 1 or 2 seizure foci via chronically implanted electrodes when specific electrocorticographic patterns are detected (RNS System). Participants had completed a 2-year primarily open-label safety study (n = 65) or a 2-year randomized blinded controlled safety and efficacy study (n = 191); 230 participants transitioned into an ongoing 7-year study to assess safety and efficacy. RESULTS: The average participant was 34 (±11.4) years old with epilepsy for 19.6 (±11.4) years. The median preimplant frequency of disabling partial or generalized tonic-clonic seizures was 10.2 seizures a month. The median percent seizure reduction in the randomized blinded controlled trial was 44% at 1 year and 53% at 2 years (p < 0.0001, generalized estimating equation) and ranged from 48% to 66% over postimplant years 3 through 6 in the long-term study. Improvements in quality of life were maintained (p < 0.05). The most common serious device-related adverse events over the mean 5.4 years of follow-up were implant site infection (9.0%) involving soft tissue and neurostimulator explantation (4.7%). CONCLUSIONS: The RNS System is the first direct brain responsive neurostimulator. Acute and sustained efficacy and safety were demonstrated in adults with medically refractory partial onset seizures arising from 1 or 2 foci over a mean follow-up of 5.4 years. This experience supports the RNS System as a treatment option for refractory partial seizures. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class IV evidence that for adults with medically refractory partial onset seizures, responsive direct cortical stimulation reduces seizures and improves quality of life over a mean follow-up of 5.4 years.