title: What happened to VIM thalamotomy for Parkinson's disease?
abstract: A prospective review of 75 of 190 parkinsonian patients undergoing unilateral thalamotomy was displayed with a computer graphics technique examining three equal consecutive groups from the pre-, early, and late L-dopa eras. Histograms for average function and scattergrams of individual patient's performance preoperatively and up to 2 years postoperatively were prepared. No ipsilateral effects or consistent iatrogenic deterioration of any function were identified. 2 years after surgery, 82% had no tremor in the contralateral fingers or hand and 7% had almost no tremor; contralateral tremor elsewhere was infrequent. Rigidity and manual dexterity improved less strikingly, the latter only reflecting abolition of tremor; locomotion, speech, facial movement and handwriting did not improve. There was no mortality, but 8% had persistent significant complications. VIM thalamotomy remains the treatment of choice for severe drug-resistant parkinsonian tremor.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills; D009127:Muscle Rigidity / Q000175:diagnosis; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013788:Thalamus / Q000601:surgery*; D014202:Tremor / Q000175:diagnosis