Battery Longevity in Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease

In patients receiving deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy, the longevity of the implanted pulse generator (IPG) is influenced by multiple factors, including patient diagnosis, therapeutic target, neurostimulator type, number of implanted leads, and stimulation settings. Recent advancements in DBS technology include longer-lived batteries, both standard and rechargeable. This study assessed the estimated IPG longevity of Medtronic, Inc., Percept™ PC neurostimulator in Parkinson's disease (PD) and explores factors associated with IPG lifespan.

Retrospective analysis of Percept™ devices in 31 PD patients who underwent bilateral DBS targeting either the internal globus pallidus or the subthalamic nucleus (STN). The analysis included demographics, clinical information, stimulation settings, lead locations, and total effective energy delivered (TEED).

The median IPG longevity was 75.9 months (51.6-92.3). Among stimulation parameters, frequency demonstrated the strongest inverse correlation with longevity (r = -0.49, p < 0.01), followed by pulse width (r = -0.39, p < 0.01), TEED (r = -0.35, p < 0.01), current amplitude (r = -0.33, p < 0.01), and voltage (r = -0.25, p = 0.04), regardless of laterality. In STN-targeted patients, a significant association was observed between the Z-coordinate of the right lead and the presence of side effects (p = 0.04). Monopolar stimulation on the dominant side showed significantly longer IPG longevity compared to bipolar stimulation (80.6 vs. 49.6 months, p = 0.01).

Significant negative correlations were observed between longevity and various stimulation parameters regardless of laterality. Monopolar stimulation on the dominant side was associated with increased longevity.