Surgery for Parkinson’s disease (PD) has come a long way since it was first developed. Increasingly, patients with advanced PD who are having a difficult time with their medications turn to surgery as a possible treatment option. Brain surgery for PD is considered for individuals who experience disabling tremors, wearing off spells, and medication-induced dyskinesias. Deep brain stimulation, a sophisticated technique based on earlier surgical approaches, is the most recent advance in this rapidly evolving field. Surgery can be dramatically effective in some patients. In others, it may have only limited success. It is very important for all patients who are thinking of surgery for PD to be well informed about the procedures, and realistic in their expectationsMarch 20, 2008ns that patients and their families need to know.

Surgery for Parkinson’s Disease (PDF file 33MG)
Blair Ford, MD
Scientific Advisor to the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation
Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Columbia University
Parkinson's Disease Foundation
©2005 Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, Inc.
View Guide (link opens a new window)
To view the Surgery Guide, you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. You may download it for free here.