Objectives: To analyze the results, efficacy and safety of unilateral microelectrode guided pallidotomy for the treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease, three months and one year after surgery.
Patients and methods: 23 patients with advanced Parkinson's disease (mean age 58.9 years and mean disease duration 14.4 years) were submitted to pallidotomy. Neurological evaluation, three months (n = 23) and one year (n = 16) after surgery, was performed during the morning in overnight "off" condition and after receiving 100-150% of their usual l-dopa dose. Parkinsonian symptoms were evaluated in each follow up visit through motor scales, activities of daily living scales, a dyskinesia rating scale and motor timed tests.
Results: Contralateral dyskinesias improved 92% three months after surgery and 89% at one year. Parkinsonian motor scores were reduced by 36.5% after three months and by 26.7% one year after surgery. In the one year follow up visit, contralateral tremor improved 48%, rigidity 36.2% and bradykinesia 37.4%. All these changes were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Adverse effects were minor or transient. Antiparkinsonian medication dosage did not significantly change during the study period.
Conclusion: Microelectrode guided unilateral pallidotomy is an effective and safe procedure to improve contralateral motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease, being specially useful for the treatment of l-dopa induced dyskinesias.