Stereotactic and functional neurosurgery
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 2008
Comparative StudySubthalamic stimulation for essential tremor. Short- and long-term results and critical target area.
In order to explore the usefulness and long-term result of subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation for the treatment of essential tremor (ET), we evaluated 3 groups of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) for ET. ⋯ Provided that intra-operative test stimulation produces satisfactory tremor control, STN is a good target for long-term treatment of ET. For patients above the age of 70 years, however, the Vim is a preferable target.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 2008
Comparative StudyModeling parkinsonian circuitry and the DBS electrode. II. Evaluation of a computer simulation model of the basal ganglia with and without subthalamic nucleus stimulation.
Treatment with deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) has become routine over the past decade, particularly using the subthalamic nucleus (STN) as a target and utilizing microelectrode recordings to ensure accurate placement of the stimulating electrodes. The clinical changes seen with DBS in the STN for PD are consistently beneficial, but there continues to be only marginal understanding of the mechanisms by which DBS achieves these results. Using an analytical model of the typical DBS 4-contact electrode and software developed to simulate individual neurons and neural circuitry of the basal ganglia we compare the results of the model to those of data obtained during DBS surgery of the STN. Firing rate, interspike intervals and regularity analyses were performed on the simulated data and compared to results in the literature.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 2008
Case ReportsSuccessful bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation for segmental dystonia after unilateral pallidotomy.
Several subcortical structures have been targeted for surgical treatment of dystonia, including motor thalamus, internal segment of globus pallidus (GPi), and more recently, the subthalamic nucleus (STN). Deep brain stimulation of GPi is currently the preferred surgical treatment, but it is unclear if targeting other structures would yield better results. Patients who have already had a pallidotomy yet continue to experience dystonic symptoms may be limited in further treatment options. ⋯ This result supports the efficacy of STN deep brain stimulation in dystonia patients, even those with prior pallidotomy.
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Stereotact Funct Neurosurg · Jan 2008
Case ReportsLow-frequency bilateral hypothalamic stimulation for treatment of drug-resistant aggressiveness in a young man with mental retardation.
Stereotactic bilateral electrode implantation in the medial portion of the posterior hypothalamus was performed on a 22-year-old male with drug-resistant aggressiveness. To localize the targets during implantation, microrecording was performed, and the clinical and electroencephalographic responses to intraoperative stimulation were monitored. The patient had an improved response to low-frequency stimulation that was sustained 18 months later at a follow-up examination.
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Twiddler's syndrome describes the intentional external manipulation or spontaneous rotation of implanted devices such as cardiac pacemakers. Here we report the same phenomenon occurring in a patient with an implanted deep brain stimulator generator. The clinical syndrome is described and potential technical nuances to prevent its occurrence are suggested.