Hardware-related complications of deep brain stimulation: a review of the published literature.

Hardware-related complications have been commonly described after deep brain stimulation. We searched the PubMed database using the key words 'adverse effects' and 'deep brain stimulation'. Out of 254 studies, we identified 10 articles that primarily addressed morbidity and hardware-related adverse effects in 922 patients. The most commonly reported hardware-related complications were infections (6.1% of the patients), migration or misplacement of the leads (5.1% of the patients), lead fractures (5.0% of the patients), and skin erosion (1.3% of the patients). Refinements in surgical technique, technological improvements, and a greater experience with the procedures will likely decrease the incidence of hardware-related side effects in the future. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.