Asymptomatic deep venous thrombosis after deep brain stimulation for Parkinson disease
Published: March 2010
Patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease (PD) are at increased risk for asymptomatic leg deep venous thrombosis (DVT) because of severe motor fluctuations. Protracted immobility during stereotactic surgery may further increase the risk for venous thrombosis. This study aimed to determine the incidence of asymptomatic DVT of leg veins in PD patients undergoing subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS).
41 consecutive PD patients undergoing stereotactic surgery for STN-DBS were investigated; ultrasonographic examinations demonstrated that two patients (4.9%) developed asymptomatic DVT shortly after surgery (8.5 days), despite the fact that none of the 41 patients submitted to STN-DBS had DVT before surgery and despite specific prophylaxis being applied during surgery.
This study demonstrated that advanced PD patients are at risk for developing asymptomatic leg DVT following stereotactic surgery performed for STN-DBS.
In order to ensure early detection of DVT and prevent further thrombo-embolic complications, it is advisable to implement strict clinical monitoring in the perioperative period.
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