Resources
This page lists the resources available to clinicians considering or already using tVNS in their practice. Some are downloadable from this site; others are sent on request because we want to know who has them and to keep the documents current as the evidence and our experience evolve.
If you do not see what you need, contact us and we will either send what we have or write the document if we agree it should exist. We would rather have a small set of useful documents than a large set of stale ones.
Patient-facing handouts
These are written in lay language for you to give to a patient who is starting tVNS, or who is considering it and wants to read something away from the clinic.
About tVNS — patient introduction
A two-page introduction to what tVNS is, what it does, what to expect during the first weeks, and what daily use looks like. Written to be readable by a patient with no prior exposure to neuromodulation.
Available on request from info@anatomicalconcepts.com.
Daily use guide
A short practical document covering electrode fitting, intensity setting, session length, and what to do if something does not feel right. Designed to sit beside the device on the patient's bedside table or kitchen worktop for the first weeks.
Available on request.
Frequently asked questions for patients
The questions we are asked most often, with the answers we actually give. Useful for clinicians who want to anticipate and answer the same questions in clinic.
Available on request.
Diary templates
Diaries are the single most informative document in a tVNS trial. Without one, response is guesswork. We provide diary templates for each of the four primary indications.
Seizure diary template (for epilepsy)
A daily seizure diary template, designed to be used for an 8-week baseline before tVNS initiation and continued throughout the trial. Captures seizure type, time, duration, and triggers, plus a daily compliance check.
Headache diary template (for migraine)
A daily headache diary covering migraine days, severity, duration, abortive medication use, and tVNS adherence. Designed to align with the standard chronic-migraine endpoints used in the published literature.
Mood diary and PHQ-9 schedule (for depression)
A weekly PHQ-9 schedule with space for a free-text mood log. The PHQ-9 is the practical bedside scale; longer scales (MADRS, HADS) are appropriate for research settings.
Behaviour log template (for Prader-Willi syndrome)
A daily behaviour log focused on temper outbursts: frequency, duration, severity, triggers, and resolution. Designed to be filled in by a carer rather than the patient.
All four templates are available as Word and PDF downloads on request. Email info@anatomicalconcepts.com and we will send the set appropriate to your indication.
Protocol templates
These are starting-point protocols that you can adapt to your own service. They reflect the parameters supported by the strongest trials and our practical experience. They are not a substitute for clinical judgement, and the responsibility for any protocol used in patient care rests with the prescribing clinician.
Initiation protocol (general)
A one-page protocol covering the first clinic visit, the first two weeks of home use, the week 2 re-titration check, and the week 4 phone or email check. Based on the practice guide. Suitable for adapting to a service.
Trial structure and review schedule
A one-page document setting out the week 8, 12, and 20 review structure, the diary-driven evaluation criteria, and the decision points at each review. Designed to align with the indication-specific endpoints used in the trial literature.
Adverse event reporting template
A short template that captures the device-specific information needed for an MHRA Yellow Card submission. We can complete and submit the report on your behalf where appropriate, or you can use the template to submit directly.
All three are available on request. We are also happy to discuss adapting them for a multi-site or service-specific protocol.
Reference material
The clinician overview
The framework document for this zone. Mechanism, anatomy, brainstem relays, the four contributing pathways, and the question of how we know stimulation is reaching the intended fibres.
The practice guide
The operational anchor document. Candidate selection, contraindications, parameters, initiation, monitoring, and trial structure across indications.
The evidence library
The studies and meta-analyses that underwrite the clinician zone, organised by indication, with quality-of-evidence notes and the limitations specific to a literature where active-control sham conditions are imperfect.
The condition pages
Indication-specific clinical pages: pathophysiology, evidence base, candidate selection, parameters, time course.
Training and case discussion
We do not currently run a formal CPD-accredited training programme on tVNS, although we have done so in the past for other electrical stimulation modalities and would consider doing so for tVNS if the demand is there. Until then, we are happy to:
- Visit your service to talk through the device, the evidence, and the practical side of clinical use.
- Arrange a phone or video call to discuss a specific case, including parameter selection and review of an existing diary.
- Provide a single-session group teaching slot for a multidisciplinary team.
What we do not yet have
For honesty, the resources we are sometimes asked for and do not yet provide:
- A formal e-learning module with CPD accreditation. We are interested but have not yet committed to the work.
- Patient testimonial videos. We have published patient stories on the public site where the patient has consented; we do not maintain a clinician-facing video library.
- A printed clinician practice booklet. The practice guide is currently web-only. A printed version is on the considered-but-not-yet-committed list.
If any of these would be genuinely useful to you, tell us. We are more likely to write what is asked for than to write speculatively.
Where to go from here
tVNS is a Class IIa medical device manufactured by tVNS Technologies GmbH, Germany. Distributed in the UK by Anatomical Concepts UK Ltd.