[Stereotactic surgery in Parkinson's disease]

Stereotactic surgery for Parkinson's disease (PD) has regained interest due to the recently described hyperactivity of the subthalamic-pallidal pathway. Many patients suffering from complications associated with the chronic use of levodopa may benefit from surgical treatments. There are different surgical targets and techniques (ablative and deep brain stimulation). The choice of one particular target and technique relies on the clinical symptoms of the patient. The risk/benefit ratio of surgery is related to the careful selection of patients and the technical accuracy. Intraoperative microrecording is considered the best method to avoid side effects and partial results. A series of patient's selection and follow-up assessment criteria are proposed.