Vanishing contrast-enhancing peri-lead oedema following deep brain stimulation surgery: A case report

Idiopathic peri-lead oedema (IPLE) after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery is still a poorly understood phenomenon. It is usually asymptomatic and does not present contrast enhancement at the post-operative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Here we present the rare case of contrast-enhancing IPLE occurring in a completely asymptomatic patient vanishing spontaneously at the radiological follow-up at one month. The radiological picture raised the concerns of peri-lead abscess, but the absence of clinical and laboratory signs of infection and the benefit of DBS over the patient's dystonic symptoms prompted a more conservative approach. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of asymptomatic contrast-enhancing IPLE conservatively managed.