Deep Brain Stimulation/Stereotaxic Surgery

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is now a widely accepted treatment option for patients with movement disorders such as parkinsonism and essential tremor. DBS surgery presents challenges to the anesthesiologist as often these patients are required to be awake for accurate placement of the stimulators. Additionally, patients with movement disorders often have comorbidities that increase their risk of perioperative and postoperative complications. DBS surgery is often divided into two stages (1) stereotactic implantation of the DBS leads and (2) internalization of the pulse generator, with each of these stages stage having distinct anesthesia demands. Ongoing studies are exploring other indications for the effective use of DBS surgery.