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Published on: August 12, 2018
Subthalamus deep brain stimulation for primary dystonia patients: a long-term follow-up study
Chunyan Cao1, Yixin Pan, Dianyou Li
1Department of Functional Neurosurgery, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
Background:
Deep brain stimulation has generated sustained improvement in motor function for patients with dystonia, but the long-term impact of subthalamic nucleus stimulation on dystonia has not been elucidated.
Methods:
Patients with primary dystonia underwent bilateral subthalamic nucleus stimulation and were evaluated with the Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form General Health Survey at baseline and 1 month, 1 year, and 3 to 10 years postoperatively.
Results:
Improvements in motor function according to the Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale at 1 month, 1 year, and 3 to 10 years of stimulation were 55%, 77%, and 79%, respectively. The quality of life improved after 1 month of stimulation (P < 0.001), progressed within 1 year (P < 0.001), and then remained stable. Disease duration was negatively correlated with an improvement in motor function.
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrate that the subthalamus is an alternative to the globus pallidus internus as a target for deep brain stimulation to treat primary dystonia.
