DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION
Implantation of a DBS system is completed in two stages. In stage one, the electrode is implanted into the brain using precise techniques. The procedure takes around 3 hours to perform and typically requires a one-night stay in the hospital. The second stage is implantation of the actual pacemaker device in the chest wall just below the collar bone – much like a pacemaker for the heart. The second stage takes around 30 minutes to perform and is an outpatient procedure.
It is preferred that candidates for the treatment be reasonably healthy, not on blood thinners and less than 75 years old. For those with Parkinson’s disease, it is also preferred that the patient has had the disease for a minimum of five years to reduce the risk of treating a
“ look alike” disease
