title: Outcome after stereotactic thalamotomy for dystonia and hemiballismus.
abstract: The outcome after single or staged stereotactic thalamotomies in 17 patients with dystonia and 2 patients with hemiballismus is reviewed. All patients were severely disabled by their movement disorders despite optimal pharmacological therapies. Eight of the patients with dystonia (47%) showed moderate improvement immediately after the procedures. Six of these eight patients maintained their improvement, and two other patients with dystonia improved significantly, during the follow-up period (mean, 37.6 mo). The long-term outcome was better in patients with secondary dystonia (50% moderately or markedly improved at a mean of 41.0 mo) than in patients with primary dystonia (43% moderately or markedly improved at a mean of 32.9 mo). Excellent control was achieved in both of the patients who underwent thalamotomies for hemiballismus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cardoso
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jankovic
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Grossman
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hamilton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D004421:Dystonia / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D013787:Thalamic Nuclei / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome