November Symposium: Deep Brain Stimulation (2020)

In this webinar, Nancy Polyhronopoulos, a registered nurse at Vancouver General Hospital's Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) Clinic, provided an overview of deep brain stimulation as a treatment for Parkinson's disease. She emphasized that while DBS can offer long-term symptom control, it does not halt the progression of the disease. Nancy highlighted key criteria for DBS candidacy, such as at least five years of Parkinson's, on-off fluctuations, disabling tremors, and intolerance or ineffectiveness of medication due to side effects, emphasizing that age is not a deciding factor.

Nancy's presentation outlined the DBS assessment process, including pre-surgical evaluations, brain target identification, the surgical procedure, and post-operative recovery. She underscored the involvement of a team at the DBS clinic and stressed the importance of involving a family member during initial consultations.

Regarding the DBS procedure and follow-up, Nancy detailed the initial clinic visit for stimulator activation, with subsequent weekly visits for six weeks to fine-tune the device. Follow-up appointments every six months were recommended to monitor stimulator settings, with potential battery changes required every three to five years. Furthermore, the talk addressed the modulating effects of DBS on movement-related issues, such as dystonia, its coverage under Canadian healthcare, and adjustments for potential side effects like freezing of gait.

View the video slides accompanying this presentation by clicking here.

**Disclaimer: These sessions are designed to provide general education and are not intended for individual advice and/or clinical care. The information conveyed in this recording was accurate at the time of presentation.**