Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical procedure for the treatment of many types of neurological problems. It is specifically useful for the management of disabling neurological symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and other movement disorders.
DBS is indicated in the management of essential tremor and dystonia in patients with parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. The procedure is suitable for people who have had:
During the DBS surgery, leads are implanted on targeted brain areas and a battery-operated medical device called a neurostimulator is implanted in the chest. The DBS system delivers electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain that control movement, thereby blocking the abnormal nerve signals responsible for causing tremor and other symptoms of parkinson’s disease.
Identifying the brain target: Before the procedure is done, the exact target brain areas where electrical nerve signals generate PD symptoms, are identified with the help of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Computed Tomography (CT) scanning or microelectrode scanning.
Surgery: The surgery involves two stages:
Programming: The IPG is turned on and adjusted 2-4 weeks after surgery and may take a few weeks before patients receive adequate symptom relief. The patient receives initial programming of the neurostimulator so that it delivers continuous electrical pulses through the electrodes. These impulses interfere with and block the electrical signals that cause PD symptoms. All parts of the stimulator system are located internally. Patients may also receive a hand held device to check battery and switch on and off the device.
Some benefits of DBS include:
Some complications due to surgery include:
Some side effects of stimulation include:
Considering the surgery was free of any complications, the patient is kept under monitoring and discharged after 3 to 5 days of the procedure. However, patient is required to follow his scheduled outpatient visits for initial programming and support. Once discharged from the hospital, the patient can gradually resume his/her normal life.
DBS is a major surgery and for the best possible outcomes, it is extremely important to choose a center with an expert team of neurosurgeon, neurologist, and health care team trained and experienced in DBS therapy. In addition to an expert surgical team, the hospital should have proper support infrastructure like intraoperative diagnostics, neurosurgery room (OT) and neuro intensive care unit (NICU) to fulfill the pre-operative and post-operative needs.
The cost of surgery usually depends on various factors like:
To know more about DBS surgery, you can request for a call back and our DBS surgery specialist will call you and answer all your queries.
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