Transauricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation for Vaso-Occlusive Pain in Sickle Cell Disease: A Medically Complex Pediatric Case

Friday, November 14, 2025

3:13 PM - 3:21 PM CT

Location: 301 - 302

Introduction: Pediatric patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) experience recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOC) causing severe pain and frequent hospitalizations. While opioids remain the mainstay, concerns about tolerance and side effects necessitate non-opioid alternatives. Transauricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a noninvasive technique targeting the auricular branch of the vagus nerve, shown to reduce inflammation and modulate pain in conditions like epilepsy, migraine, depression, and lupus. We report the first pediatric taVNS case for acute VOC pain.

Submitting Author(s)

AY

Abdul Yousaf, n/a

Medical Student (MS4)
Emory University
Kansas city, Missouri, United States

Presenting Author(s)

BN

Benoit Niclou, MD

Resident Physician
Emory University, United States

Co-Author(s)

VB

Vipin Bansal, MD

Assistant Professor
Emory University; Children's Hospital of Atlanta, United States
AW

Anna Woodbury, MD

Associate Professor
Emory University, United States
VS

Vivien Sheehan, MD, PhD

Associate Professor
Emory University; Children's Hospital of Atlanta, United States