Deep brain stimulation of VIM thalamic nucleus for tremor control

Purpose: We present our results in 4 patients with tremor, in whom electrodes (uni and bilateral) for Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) were implanted in the ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) of the thalamus, Method: Four patients with disabling tremor, with drug-resistant spite of optimum therapeutic trials with poor response were referred to do surgery. Two patients had bilateral essential tremor. These patients were implanted with electrodes for DBS 3387 (Mectronic). Two patients had unilateral parkinsonian tremor and they received unilateral implantation of model 3387 DBS. Results: All four patients showed relieve of the tremor symptoms with significant tremor control seen at the scores. There were no definite adverse events after the electrodes implants for DBS; adverse events were transient and promptly reversed after the adjustment of the parameters. Conclusions: The results the authors found in this study indicate that VIM-stimulation is effective for tremor control either parkinsonian or essential tremor. The results correlate with the data in the literature.