• Niels Allert, Egle Jusciute, Regina Quindt, Alexandra Lindlau, Brit Meike Nolden, Mohammadreza Daryaeitabar, and Hans Karbe.
• Neurological Rehabilitation Center Godeshoehe, Bonn, Germany.
• Neuromodulation. 2018 Aug 1; 21 (6): 568-573.

ObjectivesTo evaluate the long-term course of quadripolar DBS electrodes with disconnected single contacts that cannot be used for DBS.Materials And MethodsQuadripolar electrodes with open circuits of single contacts or monopolar impedances >6500 Ω were identified from a cohort of 2082 electrodes from 1044 patients with variable movement disorders. The long-term course was analyzed from follow-up data.ResultsDisconnected contacts were found in 58 electrodes (2.8%) from 49 patients (4.7%). The dysfunction was restricted to one contact in 51 electrodes (87.9%), two contacts in 5 electrodes (8.6%), three contacts in 2 electrodes (3.4%). Onset was related to surgery (implantation, impulse generator replacement, or other surgical revision) in 34 electrodes (58.6%), trauma in 2 electrodes, undetermined in 11 electrodes, and occurred spontaneously after previous normal measurements in 11 electrodes (19.0%). Repeated measurements at follow-ups of ≥3 months were available in 39 electrodes. In 16 electrodes (41.0%) abnormal impedances persisted constantly during observations up to 11½ years (47 ± 35 months, median 41 months). In 21 electrodes (53.8%) abnormal impedances remained restricted to the initial contact(s) but varied considerably between measurements during up to six years (39 ± 18 months, median 38 months). Only two electrodes (5.1%) with initially one disconnected contact developed a disconnection of a second contact.ConclusionsDisconnections of single contacts occur with increasing cumulative incidence during long-term DBS. Surgery is the main causative risk factor. In the majority of electrodes, the dysfunction remains restricted to the initial contact(s).© 2018 International Neuromodulation Society.

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