During deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson’s disease, the patient is usually awake so doctors can test whether the electrode is placed correctly. Not necessary, according to the thesis of neurosurgeon Saman Vinke of Radboud university medical center.
An MRI scan makes measurements and tests during the operation superfluous. As a result, the operation can be performed under anesthesia and it is possible to perform 2 instead of 1 operation per day. The anesthesia mainly convinces women with Parkinson’s, who opt less often for an operation in an awake state.
In the classic surgical method, the patient is largely awake. Thanks to the awake state, the surgeon can immediately check whether the symptoms are improving. But there are drawbacks to this classical method. For example, the operation takes almost an entire working day, most of which the patient is awake with the head fixed.
Vinke investigated whether the measurements and tests during the operation contribute to determining the best position for the DBS electrode. Vinke’s study shows that this is not the case. Radboudumc now only performs operations for Parkinson’s disease guided by MRI and under anesthesia.
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