Objective: To evaluate the adverse events (AEs) following subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson’s disease (PD) during 6 years period.

Background: The adverse events associated with DBS surgery were evaluated in 3 main categories: Surgery-, device- and stimulation-related issues.

Methods: Between 2011 and 2017, 147 consecutive patients (92 males, %62.6) who had undergone STN DBS surgery for PD in our Movement Disorders Clinic, were assessed retrospectively. Patients’ characteristics including modified Hoehn and Yahr (mH&Y) stages, Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II and III scores, levodopa equivalent doses (LED) at the pre- and postoperative period were obtained from the continuous medical records. Surgery-, hardware- and chronic stimulation related AEs were also recorded after the patients’ data was reviewed comprehensively.

Results: The mean age and disease duration were 54.92 ± 9.65 and 13.64 ± 6.35 years. After STN DBS, 54.44%, 55.85%, and 51.9% reduction were found on UPDRS part II, III scores and LED, respectively. There was no mortality and also persistent morbidity related to the surgery. The most surgery-related AE was perioperative confusion (8.2%) and the most hardware-related AE was lead or electrode fracture (6.1%). Chronic stimulation-related AEs including weight gain, dysarthria/dysphonia, and gait/postural instability were found 30.6%, 21.8%, and 16.3%, respectively.

Conclusions: Surgery- and hardware–related AEs are usually non-severe and non-persistent after the STN DBS surgery. Most of AEs are treatable but chronic stimulation-related axial and non-motor symptoms including gait and/or speech disturbances and weight gain may persist in the long-term period.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/surgery-hardware-and-chronic-stimulation-related-adverse-events-following-subthalamic-nucleus-deep-brain-stimulation-for-parkinsons-disease/