title: A single thalamic target for deep brain stimulation to treat hemi-body pain syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients experiencing hemi-body pain represent a difficult problem when using the thalamus as a DBS target given its anatomical topology.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 50-year-old HIV positive male underwent a right unilateral thalamic DBS to treat his severe left hemi-body central post-stroke pain following years of unsuccessful medication therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final active contact of the electrode corresponded to stimulation of the nucleus ventrocaudalis parvocellularis internis, which has provided prolonged pain relief.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  To our knowledge this was the first time this pattern of pain was treated by a single thalamic DBS electrode, suggesting stimulation in this region may be a feasible target for achieving relief from chronic severe hemi-body pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kings College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, UK, ali.rhaddad@me.com.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezaei Haddad
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ughratdar
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ashkan
mesh_terms: D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D046690:Deep Brain Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications*; D013788:Thalamus / Q000503:physiopathology