Long-term follow-up results of bilateral thalamotomy for parkinsonism

27 patients who underwent bilateral thalamotomy for parkinsonism over the past 10 years have been clinically evaluated. Mean follow-up period was 6.2 years after second surgery. In these cases, 8 returned to full social life without any medication, 4 were capable of social life with medical treatment, 6 were self-sufficient and 3 were semi-self-sufficient in ADL, respectively. Therapeutic drug doses were reduced in all cases. L-Dopa-induced dyskinesia was not observed after second surgery. Speech disturbance, which was not severe, was recognized in 12 cases as a complication.