A low-cost solution for quantification of movement during DBS surgery

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Biomedical Engineering
• Movement Disorders

Background:

• Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery requires precise electrode placement for optimal symptom reduction in conditions like Parkinson's disease (PD) and Essential Tremor (ET).
• Intraoperative assessment of patient movements is critical during DBS electrode implantation with microelectrode recordings (MER).
• Current movement assessment methods are subjective and qualitative, limiting surgical optimization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a low-cost, open-source system for objective intraoperative movement quantification during DBS surgery.
• To provide a solution that interfaces with neurophysiological recordings for enhanced surgical guidance.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a novel, low-cost, open-source system for intraoperative movement measurement.
• Integration of the system with neurophysiological recordings (MER) for synchronized data acquisition.
• Utilizing the system for both online visualization and offline analysis of patient movements.

Main Results:

• The system successfully measures movements intraoperatively in synchrony with neurophysiological recordings.
• The system enables both real-time visualization and post-operative data analysis.
• This approach offers a low-cost, open-source alternative to existing, often expensive and proprietary, systems.

Conclusions:

• The developed system offers a valuable objective measure for movement quantification during DBS procedures.
• This objective data can potentially improve electrode targeting and patient outcomes.
• The open-source nature promotes wider accessibility and application in neurosurgical settings.