Neurosurgery: Complications of DBS surgery — insights from large databases

• Elena Moro   

27 October 2016

Analysis of data from a large number of deep brain stimulation (DBS) recipients in North America has revealed a higher rate of revisions and removals of DBS leads than was previously reported. Hardware malfunction, lead infection and malpositioning were the most frequent reasons for revision or removal.

Nature Reviews Neurology

12,617–618 (2016)

doi:10.1038/nrneurol.2016.163


Author information

Affiliations

1. Elena Moro is at the Division of Neurology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, 38043 Grenoble, CS 10217, France.

Competing interests statement

The author has received personal compensation for serving on the Medtronic scientific advisory board. She has also received speaker honoraria from Medtronic.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to: 

• Elena Moro

Author details

• Elena Moro is Professor of Neurology at the Grenoble Alpes University, and Director of the Movement Disorders Center at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Grenoble, France. She has been actively involved in the Movement Disorders Society and the Parkinson Study Group. She is currently the Editor-in-Chief of EANpages, the Newsletter of the European Academy of Neurology. Her field of research includes neuromodulation for movement disorders, in particular, new targets of deep brain stimulation in movement disorders, and a better understanding of its mechanisms of action.

  References and articles listed under references:

  http://www.nature.com/nrneurol/journal/v12/n11/full/nrneurol.2016.163.html
  
  

  Risks

  
  

  By Mayo Clinic Staff

  Although deep brain stimulation is generally safe, any type of surgery has the risk of complications. Also, the brain stimulation itself may cause side effects.

  Surgery risks

  Deep brain stimulation involves creating small holes in the skull to implant the electrodes, and surgery to implant the device that contains the batteries under the skin in the chest. Complications of surgery may include:

  • Bleeding in the brain
  • Stroke
  • Infection
  • Breathing problems
  • Nausea
  • Heart problems
  • Seizures

  Possible side effects after surgery

  Side effects associated with deep brain stimulation may include:

  • Seizure
  • Infection
  • Headache
  • Confusion
  • Stroke
  • Hardware complications, such as an eroded lead wire
  • Temporary pain and swelling at the implantation site

  A few weeks after the surgery, the device will be turned on and the process of finding the best settings for you begins. Some settings may cause side effects, but these often improve with further adjustments of your device.

  Possible side effects of stimulation

  • Numbness or tingling sensations
  • Muscle tightness of the face or arm
  • Speech problems
  • Balance problems
  • Lightheadedness
  • Unwanted mood changes, such as mania and depression
• http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/deep-brain-stimulation/details/risks/cmc- 20156104