There can be different risks associated with deep brain stimulation including infection, bleeding, seizure, stroke and death. In this video, Melissa Houser, MD, a neurologist at Scripps Health, discusses deep brain stimulation and Parkinson's disease
It depends on the center, at our center the risk is about 2-3% and those include infection, bleeding, a seizure, a stroke, death because you didn't use anesthesia to put in a generator. That can always occur with any anesthesia and, then there is always the possibility if your candidacy have not been very carefully reviewed that might not be the right device you, in other words a typical Parkinsonism conditions do not respond to that procedure.
So it has to be very solidified, that you actually have a diagnosis of what we call a idiopathic Parkisonism disease.
Melissa Houser, MD, is the clinical director of the Parkinson’s Disease and Movement Disorder Center at Scripps Clinic in San Diego. She discusses research into causes and treatment of Parkinson’s disease, including stem cell research.
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