Thalamic stimulation for the treatment of midline tremors in essential tremor patients.
The authors prospectively collected unblinded data from 27 consecutive patients following thalamic stimulation. A significant reduction of midline tremor was achieved after unilateral surgery, but a staged contralateral surgery had an additional effect. A subgroup analysis showed significant beneficial effects for head, voice, tongue, and face tremor. The most frequent reversible side effects were disequilibrium, dysarthria, and paresthesias. We observed more pulse generator adjustments for speech problems in the bilaterally implanted group.
Obwegeser
A A
AA
Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
Uitti
R J
RJ
Turk
M F
MF
Strongosky
A J
AJ
Wharen
R E
RE
D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery*