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What serious complications can occur with pallidotomy?
Brain hemorrhage is a possible complication, as is infection. Damage to the optic tract, which carries visual messages from the eye to the brain, is a small but significant risk, and is more significant in bilateral pallidotomy.
What condition is taken into account when determining whether a patient should undergo a pallidotomy?
Pallidotomy is performed in patients with Parkinson's disease who are still responsive to levodopa, but who have developed disabling drug treatment complications known as motor fluctuations.
What specialist performs the pallidotomy?
Pallidotomy is performed in the hospital by a neurosurgeon, in coordination with the patient's neurologist.
What is a basic difference between the unilateral and bilateral pallidotomy?
For unilateral pallidotomy, a single "burr hole" is made in the top of the skull; bilateral pallidotomy requires two holes.
How does the pallidotomy procedure mimic the effect of dopamine?
Pallidotomy mimics this action by permanently destroying the GPi cells.
What is key to a successful outcome of a pallidotomy?
The key to successful outcome in pallidotomy is extremely precise placement of the electrode.
What does a pallidotomy do?
In a pallidotomy, the globus pallidus is destroyed by heat, delivered by long thin needles inserted under anesthesia
When is a unilateral pallidotomy suggested?
Unilateral (one-sided) pallidotomy may be used if symptoms are markedly worse on one side or the other, or if the risks from bilateral (two-sided) pallidotomy are judged to be too great.
What additional step is necessary in a bilateral pallidotomy?
If bilateral pallidotomy is being performed, the localizing and lesioning will be repeated on the other side.
What questions should a candidate for a pallidotomy ask his doctor?
How many pallidotomies has the neurosurgeon performed?What is the surgeon's own rate of serious complications?Would deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus be appropriate for me?How will my medications change after the operation?
What type of hospital stay is required for a pallidotomy?
Pallidotomy takes several hours to perform. In some medical centers, pallidotomy is performed as an outpatient procedure, and patients are sent home the same day. Most centers provide an overnight stay or longer for observation and recuperation
What is a pallidotomy?
A pallidotomy is a neurological procedure whereby a tiny electrical probe is placed in the globus pallidus and heated in order to destroy a small area of brain cells.
