[Deep brain stimulation of thalamus for tremor control].
OBJECTIVE
We present our results in 4 patients with tremor, in whom electrodes (uni and bilateral) for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) were implanted in the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus.


METHODS
Four patients with disabling tremor, with drug-resistant spite of optimum therapeutic trials with poor response were referred to do surgery. Two patients had bilateral essential tremor. These patients were implanted with electrodes for DBS 3387 (Medtronic). Two patients had unilateral parkinsonian tremor and they received unilateral implantation of model 3387 DBS.


RESULTS
All four patients showed relieve of the tremor symptoms with significant tremor control seen at the scores. There were no definite adverse events after the electrodes implants for DBS; adverse events were transient and promptly reversed after the adjustment of the parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The results the authors found in this study indicate that VIM-stimulation is effective for tremor control either parkinsonian or essential tremor. The results correlate with the data in the literature.
Serviço de Neurocirurgia, Hospital Pró-Cardíaco, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. nasser@riodejaneiro.net
José Augusto
JA
Nasser
Asdrubal
A
Falavigna
Armando
A
Alaminos
Antônio de Pádua
Ade P
Bonatelli
Fernando
F
Ferraz
D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004567:Electrodes, Implanted; D020329:Essential Tremor / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D014202:Tremor / Q000628:therapy*; D020651:Ventral Thalamic Nuclei / Q000503:physiopathology