Pallidotomy
| Pallidotomy | |
|---|---|
 2 cross sections of the human brain, with the globus pallidus in green. | |
| Specialty | Neurosurgery |
| ICD-9-CM | 01.42 |
| MeSH | D053860 |
Pallidotomy is a
Uses
Rationale
The internal globus pallidus can be regarded as an "output structure" of the basal ganglia.[1] It processes input from nucleus accumbens and the striatum, and sends input to the cerebral cortex via the thalamus. It is critical for the functioning of the basal ganglia.
Parkinson's disease
Pallidotomy is an alternative to
Other conditions
Pallidotomy may sometimes used to treat difficult cases of essential tremor as an alternative to deep brain stimulation.[4] It may also be used for dystonia, and hemiballismus.[3]
Complications
The surgery itself can cause complications.[3] Damage to a blood vessel may cause intracranial haemorrhage.[3] Damage to the optic tract can cause a permanent vision problem.[3] Pressure on brain tissue can induce a seizure.[3]
Technique
Pallidotomy involves placing a tiny electrical probe in the globus pallidus, one of the basal ganglia of the brain. A craniotomy (temporary hole in the skull) needs to be created.[3] The probe is guided based on stereotactic information, and sometimes magnetic resonance imaging.[3] The globus pallidus is heated for a short time to destroy a small area of brain cells.[3]
History
Pallidotomy has been used to treat Parkinson's disease since at least the 1950s.[3] Older techniques involved occluding the anterior choroidal artery, with lower success rates and more side effects.[3]
References
- S2CID 16048706.
- ISBN 978-1-405-18533-2. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-12-385158-1.
- S2CID 1228101.
- S2CID 30517616.
- ^ PMID 11606671.
- ^ S2CID 16499763.