The patients are given two therapy magnets to activate or deactivate their vagal nerve stimulators manually. The magnet can either be worn like a watch by the use of a wristband. Alternatively, a belt buckle is provided so that the device may be worn like a pager. The device can also be kept loose in a pocket or handbag etc.
The device is swiped over the pulse generator to provide an extra dose of therapy on demand to stop/shorten/decrease the intensity or improve recovery during breakthrough seizures. It does this by activating or deactivating a sensor (called a Reed switch).
During singing, public speaking or exercising, patients may experience side effects and hence they can manually temporarily suspend therapy by using the therapy magnet.
Always remember to ask the patient to remove these magnets prior to imaging to prevent a potentially harmful projectile incident.
Note: this patient has given permission to upload these images of her used wristband device and her spare device.
Disclosure: I, Ashesh I Ranchod, have no actual or potential ethical or financial conflict of interest in relation to this device. This case is not intended to be a personal endorsement or recommendation of this product.