What are the risks of deep brain stimulation (DBS)?
The most serious risk of DBS is bleeding in the brain, potentially – but not always – resulting in a stroke. This risk varies from patient to patient, depending on other medical factors, but generally ranges from 1-3%. If stroke occurs, it usually occurs during or within a few hours after surgery. Another risk is infection, typically at the burr hole or at the site of the neurostimulator implant. Infection occurs in 4-5% of patients and is very rarely life threatening although infection can require removal of all or part of the DBS system.
