What are the results and complications of DBS at UCSF?
Since beginning our DBS program in 1998, we have performed 1000 implants for movement disorders. Seven hundred of these have been STN or GPi implants for Parkinson’s disease. A subset of our patients has had formal neurological evaluations on and off of medications, with the stimulators on and off. For bilateral DBS, the evaluations showed a 45-70% improvement in the scores on standard rating scales, off of medication, as a result of DBS. This is similar to the results from other major centers and represents a major improvement in mobility. In our series, the risk of stroke is 1.6%, the risk of severe stroke with death or permanent major disability is 0.5%, and the risk of device infection that requires further surgery for device removal is 4%.
