Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established surgical treatment that has been used for more than 30 years to help manage movement disorders. During DBS, thin electrodes are implanted into precise, deep structures of the brain that are involved in controlling l movement. These electrodes are connected to a small pulse generator implanted beneath the collarbone.

The system delivers low-level electrical impulses that help regulate abnormal brain activity linked to tremor, rigidity, and involuntary movement. Many patients describe DBS as functioning like a pacemaker for the brain because it helps modulate targeted brain circuits without removing or damaging brain tissue.

You may need this surgery if you have Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, familial tremor, cervical dystonia, epilepsy, Tourette syndrome or other movement disorders. Over time, medications for treating these types of disease become less effective. Before quality of life declines significantly, we may recommend surgery for select patients.

Deep brain stimulation surgery has been a well-established surgery for over 30 years. In the last 10 years, there has been dramatic improvement in computer technology, allowing surgery with increased accuracy and benefit, as well as allowing the patient to be completely asleep for the operation.

Before surgery can be scheduled, a neurologist (who does not do the surgery) and other healthcare providers will give you special testing to make sure you are good candidate for the operations.

One to two weeks before your surgery, you will have a special MRI of the brain at the hospital, along with an appointment to make sure you can safely go to sleep with anesthesia. Once asleep, you will have two very thin electrodes placed in your brain. There will be a CT scan done before you wake up to confirm the accuracy of the leads. You will stay in the hospital one night and go home the next day.

One week later, you will have an outpatient surgery where the generator, also known as “battery,” will be placed in the same location below your collarbone where a pacemaker goes. This involves making two incisions that connect the leads to the battery. You will be able go home the same day, and the battery will be turned on in your neurologist’s office. You should ask your doctor about your specific surgery.

We use DBS to treat several movement disorders, Including Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, spasticity, and certain forms of epilepsy. Movement disorder patients in the Midwest whose symptoms have begun interfering with daily life may begin exploring essential tremor treatment surgery or movement disorder surgery in Indiana — and DBS may be a beneficial option.

DBS is designed to target motor symptoms such as tremor, involuntary movements, stiffness, and motor fluctuations. Because every condition and patient experience is different, determining whether DBS is appropriate requires a detailed evaluation by our specialized care team.

With any surgery there are risks. You should talk to your doctor about them. Some common complications include infection and risks from anesthesia. Anytime you undergo full anesthesia, there is a risk of stroke or neurological injury. Those risks are much lower than other operations.

Like any surgery, DBS carries risks, including infection, bleeding, and healing complications. Our team discusses these risks carefully with every patient and family before moving forward with surgery.

Because DBS has been performed for more than 30 years, its safety profile is well understood, and our team brings extensive experience to every procedure we perform. The presurgical evaluation process is designed to identify patients for whom the benefits of surgery are likely to outweigh the risks, and patients have direct access to our care team throughout the entire process (as do their families).

DBS does not cure Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, or other movement disorders, and it does not stop these conditions from progressing over time. What it can do is meaningfully reduce motor symptoms and improve day-to-day function, independence, and quality of life.

For patients with essential tremor, DBS has been shown to greatly reduce tremor severity. Results for Parkinson’s-related tremors and involuntary movement symptoms are also strongly supported by long-term clinical research. Our goal is to provide lasting symptom relief by addressing the abnormal brain signaling that contributes to symptoms.

Deep brain stimulators are common in neurosurgery, and your surgical team is very experienced. You will be asked to answer a lot of questions and may have other tests done before surgery. You should follow all instructions given to you before surgery. The amount of time you will spend in the hospital after a surgery should be short. Most patients require only one night in the hospital after the first surgery. It is very important that you do not take any blood thinning medication for one week before your surgery. This includes any vitamins, herbs or supplements which may have blood thinning components in them.

Most major insurance plans, including Medicare, provide coverage for DBS surgery for Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor when the procedure is medically appropriate. Coverage details, including prior authorizations, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs, can vary depending on the plan.

Our team helps patients and families better understand what to expect financially before surgery is scheduled. We also help guide patients through the insurance approval process so they can make informed decisions with confidence.

Deep brain stimulation candidacy depends on several factors, including diagnosis, overall health, symptom severity, and cognitive function. We work closely with referring neurologists to determine whether and when DBS may be appropriate. Each patient is independently evaluated by their neurologist before surgery to help ensure DBS is the right fit.

Strong candidates typically have a confirmed movement disorder diagnosis, healthy cognitive function, and symptoms that have meaningfully disrupted daily life despite prior treatment approaches. Age alone does not automatically disqualify someone from surgery. In fact, many patients in their 70s and beyond may still qualify depending on their health and medical history. Certain conditions, including uncontrolled cardiac disease or active pregnancy, may affect eligibility; our team reviews these factors carefully with every patient during the evaluation process.

Your healthcare provider will give you specific instructions when leaving the hospital. In general, shower daily keep your incisions clean with soap and water, but do not immerse/soak your incisions under water. (Do not take a bath or swim.) Do not touch/manipulate/scratch your incisions. Avoid straining or lifting heavy objects. Eat a well-balanced diet to help with healing. Make sure someone looks at your incisions every day and contacts your doctor’s office with any concerns. Most patients can resume normal activity a few weeks after surgery.

You may be sore at the sites of your different incisions where the electrodes were passed under the skin. This is temporary, and will get better over time.You may feel more tired when first returning home. Be sure to rest; however, you should try to walk daily if possible. You should feel significantly better by the time you see your neurologist a few weeks after surgery.

Many patients are surprised to learn that advances in computer-guided imaging now allow DBS surgery to be performed under general anesthesia, meaning patients no longer need to remain awake during the procedure.

Before surgery, we complete a specialized brain MRI and pre-anesthesia evaluations to help ensure accurate planning and patient safety, typically one to two weeks in advance. During the procedure, two thin electrodes are placed into carefully targeted brain regions, and a CT scan confirms accurate placement before the patient wakes up, with most patients staying in the hospital for one night.

The pulse generator is implanted and programmed during a follow-up procedure, and recovery continues through close coordination among the patient’s comprehensive care team.

DBS requires an extremely high level of precision, which is why specialized neurosurgical training matters. All Neurosurgeons complete seven years of focused residency training involving the brain, spine, and nervous system. DBS is performed by a functional neurosurgeon who focuses on targeting abnormal electrical or chemical activity in a structurally normal nervous system. 

For more than 50 years, Goodman Campbell has been performing surgeries requiring incredible precision and caring for patients with both straightforward and highly complex conditions. As a global leader in neurosurgical research, physician training, and clinical innovation, we remain actively involved in advancing the field of DBS and functional neurosurgery in Indianapolis. We bring nationally recognized expertise in functional neurosurgery closer to home, making compassionate care more accessible.