BACKGROUND: As increasing numbers of deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures are performed, rare abnormal findings on postoperative images that are not attributable to well-known complications are reported. Between 2005 and 2012, we encountered several symptomatic patients with transient abnormal low-attenuation lesions on postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. The aim of this study was to clarify this rare phenomenon using chronological observations and to suggest a feasible mechanism. RESULTS: In this period, seven (3.2 %) patients displayed transient increased low-attenuation signals, circumferentially surrounding the DBS electrodes and extending into the subcortical white matter. All these patients suffered from unexpected but transient neurological symptoms during the postoperative period. The abnormal low-attenuation lesions only disappeared completely a considerable time after the clinical symptoms had disappeared, without treatment in most patients. CONCLUSIONS: We report here our chronological observations of acute brain reactions after DBS procedures, which we believe are neither infectious nor vascular, but are possibly caused by the mechanical breakdown of the blood-brain barrier by microelectrode recordings or by anchored DBS electrodes. These lesions are thought to constitute a self-limiting disorder requiring no further treatment.
BACKGROUND: As increasing numbers of deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures are performed, rare abnormal findings on postoperative images that are not attributable to well-known complications are reported. Between 2005 and 2012, we encountered several symptomatic patients with transient abnormal low-attenuation lesions on postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans. The aim of this study was to clarify this rare phenomenon using chronological observations and to suggest a feasible mechanism. RESULTS: In this period, seven (3.2 %) patients displayed transient increased low-attenuation signals, circumferentially surrounding the DBS electrodes and extending into the subcortical white matter. All these patients suffered from unexpected but transient neurological symptoms during the postoperative period. The abnormal low-attenuation lesions only disappeared completely a considerable time after the clinical symptoms had disappeared, without treatment in most patients. CONCLUSIONS: We report here our chronological observations of acute brain reactions after DBS procedures, which we believe are neither infectious nor vascular, but are possibly caused by the mechanical breakdown of the blood-brain barrier by microelectrode recordings or by anchored DBS electrodes. These lesions are thought to constitute a self-limiting disorder requiring no further treatment.
Authors: Vibhash D Sharma; Alberto R Bona; Alessandra Mantovani; Svjetlana Miocinovic; Pravin Khemani; Mark P Goldberg; Kelly D Foote; Louis A Whitworth; Shilpa Chitnis; Michael S Okun Journal: Mov Disord Clin Pract Date: 2015-09-16
Authors: Daniel Pham; Beata Polgar; Tunde Toth; Adel Jungling; Norbert Kovacs; Istvan Balas; Endre Pal; Dora Szabo; Balazs Daniel Fulop; Dora Reglodi; Zalan Szanto; Robert Herczeg; Attila Gyenesei; Andrea Tamas Journal: Geroscience Date: 2022-02-26 Impact factor: 7.581