Pallidotomy technique and results: the New York University experience

The authors relate the New York University experience with 171 pallidotomies performed on 160 consecutive patients over a 6-year period. Details of their patient selection criteria, operative technique, preliminary clinical results, and surgical complications are reported. They conclude that unilateral posteroventral pallidotomy is a safe and effective treatment for a subset of Parkinson's disease patients who suffer with rigidity, bradykinesia, tremor, and L-dopa-induced dyskinesia. Patients with Parkinson's Plus syndromes can be definitively identified with positron emission tomography and do not improve with pallidotomy. The routine performance of bilateral pallidotomy remains controversial.