[Surgical therapy of Parkinson's disease]

The high incidence of motor and psychiatric complications in patients on chronic levodopa treatment has lend to the renaissance of the surgery for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The globus pallidus medialis (GPM) and the thalamic Vim constitute the main surgical targets. At present, their acute location is guaranteed by the development of new neuronal recording systems. Other therapeutical approaches include Vim electrical stimulation for parkinsonian patients with tremor. Chronic electrical stimulation of GPM and subthalamic nucleus (STN) are under evaluation, but preliminary results suggest that this treatment could be of great value in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease.