A suggested minimum standard deep brain stimulation evaluation for essential tremor.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive, multidisciplinary screening process for deep brain stimulation (DBS) candidates is recommended, but is often time-consuming.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the number of essential tremor (ET) referrals excluded from surgery and why, in order to develop recommendations for a minimum standard DBS evaluation process.

METHODS: We reviewed the referrals of 100 consecutive potential DBS candidates with presumed ET at our center, identified reasons for excluding patients from DBS, and the point at which they dropped out of our evaluation process.

RESULTS: Of the 100 tremor patients referred for DBS, 36 patients were approved for surgery. Patients were mainly excluded because of the movement disorders neurologist and neuropsychologist evaluations. Reasons included an inadequate medication trial (n=20), incorrect diagnosis (n=3), dementia (n=3), and antagonistic interactions with the team (n=1). 37 patients did not present, were uninterested or lost to follow-up. Neither neurosurgical evaluation nor brain imaging excluded candidates in this study, but are needed to proceed with DBS.

CONCLUSIONS: Our suggested minimum standard DBS screening process begins with a movement disorders neurologist and neuropsychologist evaluation in order to determine eligibility. Neurosurgical evaluation and brain imaging can then be performed if candidates are deemed eligible.