The Rate and Risk Factors of Deep Brain Stimulation-Associated Complications: A Single-Center Experience

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established neurosurgical treatment of a variety of neurological disorders. DBS is considered a safe and effective neurosurgical procedure; however, surgical complications are inevitable, and clinical outcomes may vary. The aim of this study was to describe DBS complications at a large clinical center in the United States and to investigate the relationship between patients' baseline characteristics, surgical technique, and operative complications.

We identified all patients who underwent DBS lead implantation at our center between 1st January 2012 and 1st January 2020. We extracted relevant information regarding patient demographics, surgical details, clinical complications, and clinical outcomes from the electronic medical records.

A total of 859 leads were implanted in 481 patients (153 men, 328 women). The mean patient age at the time of the surgery was 65 years, with the mean disease duration of 13.3 years. There were no mortalities and 57 readmissions within 30 days (mean = 14.2 days). The most common complications included pneumocephalus (n = 661), edema (n = 78), altered mental state (n = 35), implantable pulse generator discomfort (n = 34), hemorrhage (n = 26), and infection (n = 23). Most notably, the use of general anesthesia, hypertension, heart disease, and depression were associated with significantly longer postoperative stay. High preoperative body mass index was associated with higher rates of surgery-related infections and lead revision/explantation. The intraoperative mean arterial pressure, anesthesia type, and frame apparatus were all important predictors of postoperative pneumocephalus.

In this report, we described the rates and types of complications associated with DBS surgery at a large neurosurgical center in the United States. The novel insights highlighted in this study present an opportunity to further improve the clinical outcomes and patient selection in DBS surgery.