Presentation
Shortness of breath. Patient coughing past two weeks.
Patient Data
Mild bilateral bronchial wall thickening may be due to reactive airway disease.
The left-sided vagal nerve stimulator (VNS) and its single lead coursing into the neck on the left side is in appropriate position without abnormal discontinuity or kinking.
Case Discussion
Vagal nerve stimulators (VNS) are used for patients with epilepsy, or other psychiatric disorders (such as depression). Their placement is often assessed via chest radiographs 1. Although uncommon it is important to asses for VNS pocket infections which could be fatal 2.
This case was submitted with supervision and input from:
Soni C. Chawla, M.D.
Health Sciences Clinical Professor,
Department of Radiological Sciences,
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
Attending Pediatric Radiologist,
Olive View - UCLA Medical Center.