Vim line technique thalamotomy for Parkinson tremor: Case series

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Neurology
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The ventral intermediate (Vim) nucleus is challenging to locate, even with advanced MRI.
• Accurate Vim targeting is essential for successful stereotactic thalamotomy in Parkinson tremor management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate the Vim line technique (VLT) for precise Vim nucleus localization.
• To assess the efficacy and safety of VLT in stereotactic Vim thalamotomy for Parkinson tremor.

Main Methods:

• The Vim line technique (VLT), an MRI-based approach, was employed.
• Three patients with Parkinson tremor underwent stereotactic thalamotomy using VLT for Vim localization.

Main Results:

• All three patients experienced significant tremor improvement, confirmed by UPDRS scores.
• The VLT procedure was performed without any complications.
• VLT demonstrated effectiveness in precisely determining the Vim nucleus location.

Conclusions:

• The Vim line technique (VLT) is a promising method for accurate Vim nucleus targeting in stereotactic thalamotomy.
• Further research is necessary to validate the long-term effectiveness of VLT.