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Introduction: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a debilitating disease with limited available treatment options. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a universal option that promises to improve quality of life by reducing intractable neuropathic pain. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness and safety of SCS as a treatment for CRPS patients., Clinical Rationale for the Study: SCS as an invasive method has relatively recently been introduced to CRPS therapy. We hypothesised that by assessing the effectiveness and safety of SCS, we could justify its early use in the treatment of this debilitating condition., Material and Methods: CRPS is a multifactorial and disabling disorder with complex aetiopathogenesis. The primary goals of CRPS treatment include pain relief, functional restoration, and psychological stabilisation. Early intervention is needed to achieve these objectives. In this study, we performed a retrospective evaluation of clinical outcomes in seven patients with severe, intractable CRPS treated by SCS. All patients underwent implantation of a non-rechargeable prime advanced MRI implantable pulse generator (IPG) (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) between December 2017 and December 2020 using identical surgical and intraprocedural techniques., Results: From a total of 21 patients treated with SCS over the three years in question, seven (33%) were diagnosed with severe CRPS. The duration of chronic pain ranged between two and 12 years. In six cases (86%), an electrode was implanted in the thoracic segment. Good (partial pain reduction) or very good (complete pain relief) treatment results were observed in five patients (72%). In two cases (28%), two revision surgeries were performed for wound debridement. These hardware-related complications were primarily related to erosions located over implanted IPG's., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: SCS is the best alternative for patients with CRPS. It should be used immediately after the failure of conservative treatment. Despite the relatively high complication rate in our series, it is the best choice for pain reduction management in this select group of patients.

Tumour-to-meningioma metastasis (TTMM) is an uncommon phenomenon, however repeatedly found in the literature. Meningiomas occur to be the most frequent target of metastatic expansion of systemic cancers. Meningiomas often vary in symptoms and treatment, and this largely depends on the tumour location. Due to their variable locations, they can be classified as convexity meningiomas, which includes falcine and parasagittal tumours, and cranial base, which includes tumours located in the olfactory groove, sphenoid wing, petrous bone and other cranial base locations. The aim of this study was to analyse all data regarding metastases to cranial base meningiomas. We performed a literature search to locate all cases of metastases to cranial base meningiomas in PubMed and Medline databases using the following key words: metastasis to meningioma, meningioma metastasis, and cranial base meningioma. We collected patient and cancer parameters, exact meningioma location and clinical presentations including characteristics which may suggest TTMM. We found 100 articles describing 111 patients of metastasis to cranial base meningioma. Among these articles, 55 cases (49.55%) included metastases to non-skull base meningiomas. In 24 cases (21.62%), the location of meningioma was not precisely described or other data were unavailable, in particular histopathological examination. The most common location of TTMM was sphenoid wing, which was found in 9 patients. The other locations included cerebellopontine angle in 5 patients, and tuberculum sellae in 3 cases. 81.25% cases of TTMM were reported in women, and the most common cancer origins were the breast (28.3%), lung (18.7%), kidney (9.38%) and prostate (9.38%). In two cases the metastatic origin was unclear, and in 15.6% of cases the patients were in remission for more than 1 year. In 78.1% of cases patients presented focal deficits, followed by increased intracranial pressure, and seizures. In almost one-third of cases, TTMM first appeared from a previously unknown cancer. Rapid clinical presentation of cranial nerve palsies may suggest the dual nature of intracranial pathology. The metastasis to cranial base meningioma should be suspected in patients with oncological background, regardless of meningioma parameters or cancer status.

Introduction:  Deep brain stimulation of the anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT DBS) is a neuromodulation therapy for patients with refractory partial seizures. The ANT is the structure of a limbic system with abundant neuronal connections to temporal and frontal brain regions that participate in seizure propagation circuitry., State of the Art:  We have performed a literature search regarding the clinical efficacy of ANT DBS. We discuss the surgical technique of the implantation of DBS electrodes with special attention paid to the targeting methods of the ANT. Moreover, we present in detail the clinical efficacy of ANT DBS, with a special emphasis on the stimulation parameters, a stimulation mode, and polarity. We also report all adverse events and present the current limitations of ANT DBS., Clinical Implications:  In general, the safety profile of DBS in intractable epilepsy patients is good, with a low rate of surgery, hardware-related, and stimulation-induced adverse events. No significant cognitive declines or worsening of depressive symptoms was noted. At long-term follow-up, the quality-of-life scores have improved. The limitations of ANT DBS studies include a limited number of patients treated and mostly open-label designs with only one double-blind, randomized multicenter trial. Most studies do not report the etiology of intractable epilepsy or they include nonhomogeneous groups of patients affected by intractable epilepsy. There are no guidelines for setting initial stimulation parameters. All the variables mentioned may have a profound impact on the final outcome., Conclusions:  ANT DBS appears to be a safe and efficacious treatment, particularly in patients with refractory partial seizures (three-quarters of patients gained at least 50% seizure reduction after 5 years). ANT DBS reduces most effectively the seizures originating in the temporal and frontal lobes. The published results of ANT DBS highlight promise and hope for patients with intractable epilepsy., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a relatively new and still experimental treatment modality for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). There is preliminary evidence that stimulation of brain reward circuit structures or their connecting white matter bundles may exert an antidepressant effect. The main nucleus of the reward circuit is the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which plays a critical role in reward-seeking behavior, motivation, and addiction. Also, white matter bundles connecting different structures of the reward circuit have been studied clinically as targets for DBS, including the medial forebrain bundle (MFB) - a central component of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward circuit. This review aims to present the clinical outcomes of MFB DBS for TRD., Views: The scientific literature was reviewed using the following keywords: 'DBS', 'major depressive disorders', 'TRD', and 'MFB'. The identified studies were assessed on the basis of patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, and adverse events related to DBS. The search revealed five open-label clinical case studies and four case reports reporting the cumulative number of 35 patients treated by MFB DBS for TRD., Conclusions: The current clinical data of MFB DBS are limited by small sample size and the small number of clinical open-label trials. There is an urgent need for more clinical trials targeting the MFB for TRD. The results obtained in these studies showed a very rapid antidepressant effect observed within one week after the start of stimulation. MFB DBS for TRD should be considered as a last resort treatment due to its invasive character. However, this treatment may be a promising alternative for TRD patients., Competing Interests: Absent./Nie występuje., (Copyright © 2021 Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology.)

Ovarian cancer is a global problem that affects women of all ages. Due to the lack of effective screening tests and the usually asymptomatic course of the disease in the early stages, the diagnosis is too late, with the result that less than half of the patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer (OC) survive more than five years after their diagnosis. In this study, we examined the expression of TLR2 in the peripheral blood of 50 previously untreated patients with newly diagnosed OC at various stages of the disease using flow cytometry. The studies aimed at demonstrating the usefulness of TLR2 as a biomarker in the advanced stage of ovarian cancer. In this study, we showed that TLR2 expression levels were significantly higher in women with more advanced OC than in women in the control group. Our research sheds light on the prognostic potential of TLR2 in developing new diagnostic approaches and thus in increasing survival in patients with confirmed ovarian cancer.

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is a widely adopted clinical scale which fails to assess a verbal component in intensive care units (ICUs) patients who are ventilated mechanically., Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the validity of the FOUR scale (Full Outline of UnResponsivness) when applied by staff of an ICU., Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 65 consecutive intubated patients treated in the ICU with brain damage. The study design included the simultaneous assessment of the patients' consciousness by two scales - the FOUR scale and the GCS. All assessments were made under strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients were assessed by a randomly selected staff pairs (neurointensivist/ nurse, neurointensivist/resident, neurointensivist/neurointensivists). The assessments made by experienced neurointensivists were regarded as basic examinations and by other members as control examinations. The study design allowed for the assessment of the interrater reliability., Results: In 65 enrolled patients, a total of 763 double assessments were made using the FOUR score and by the GCS. It has been shown that in 751 out of 763 assessments the patients' consciousness was accurately assessed, representing 98.43 % accuracy of the FOUR scale. In contrast, the patients' consciousness was reliably assessed by the GCS in only 88 assessments, representing 11.5 % of accuracy., Conclusions: The study showed excellent interrater reliability among the groups of examiners for the FOUR scale as well as the GCS. The main advantage of the FOUR scale in intubated patients is excellent accuracy. The FOUR scale is easy to learn. It is functional and it has no limitations typical of verbal scales. It is a valuable and recommended clinical tool for the assessment of consciousness of the ICU patients., (© 2021 MEDPRESS.)

Vascular injury during lumbar disc surgery was first reported as a complication in 1945 by Linton and White [32]. Injuries of the major blood vessels located anteriorly to the spine in the retroperitoneal space are rare but occur suddenly and are life-threatening. The authors present anatomo-topographical background of this complication, standards of diagnostic process and treatment on the base of literature as well the surgical and endovascular management of this complication. The authors performed a literature search for reported iatrogenic vascular injuries due to lumbar disc surgery. We were able to find 10 case series and 17 single case reports describing this rare but serious lumbar disc surgeryrelated complication. Overall, there were 159 patients who developed vascular injury due to lumbar disc surgery. The surgical exploration and repair has been done in 116 patients. In last decades due to rapid development of endovascular techniques this complication was repaired endovascular techniques in 21 patients. The most common lumbar level which resulted in iatrogenic vascular injury was L4-L5. There were reported 66 deaths and in 83 patients the postoperative period was uneventful., Conclusions: We would like to highlight the occurrence of this complication and introduction of rapid management to prevent the fatal outcome. Lumbar disc surgery is one of the most often performed procedures in neurosurgical wards. The awareness of this life-threatening complication should be known to all members of an operative team. The knowledge of proper management of this serious adverse event may save a patient's life., (© 2021 MEDPRESS.)

Damage to large abdominal vessels during lumbar discectomy surgery is a rare but life-threatening complication., A Case Report: The authors present the case of a 57-year-old patient who received surgery for critical degenerative lumbal spinal stenosis on the L4-L5 level. The diagnosis was based on strong right sciatica and neurogenic claudication. A bilateral laminotomy from the right and a microdiscectomy were performed. During surgery, no bleeding from the intervertebral space was observed and blood pressure was low but stable from the beginning. After surgery, the patient was in good general and neurological condition, without preoperative right-sided sciatica. Within a few hours after the operation, the circulatory and respiratory systems were stable with normal saturation and the patient did not report shortness of breath. Paleness of the skin and mucous membranes was observed. Follow-up morphology tests performed at 6 and 10.5 hours after surgery showed a decrease in the level of erythrocytes. The patient had palpable tenderness in the left hypochondriac region. Suspicion of bleeding into the abdominal cavity from arteries or iliac veins was stated. Immediately, an angio-computed tomography (CT) of the abdominal cavity was performed, which confirmed the presence of a hematoma in the peritoneal space and a pseudoaneurysm of the left iliac artery. The patient was urgently transported to the Vascular Surgery Clinic, where a Y-type covered stent was implanted percutaneously into both iliac arteries. After the procedure, there were symptoms of ischaemia in the left lower extremity and intermittent claudication. A Doppler study showed signs of narrowing at the stent level on the left side. The patient was reoperated after a CT check-up and a second stent was implanted into the left iliac artery, which allowed vasodilation and true flow in the artery., Conclusions: The authors suggest that both the neurosurgeon and anaesthesiologist should have been aware of the possibility of such a rare but life-threatening complication as iliac vessel damage during lumbar discectomy surgery. A quick diagnosis and implementation of a proper procedure reduces the high mortality rate caused by this complication. In cases of a sudden unjustified drop in blood pressure during lumbar discectomy, an immediate laparotomy should be performed to find and repair the site of laceration of a vessel. In patients who are stable hemodynamically, performing an angio-CT function of the abdominal cavity is suggested and the damaged artery should be treated with a covered stent., (© 2021 MEDPRESS.)

Humans have a remarkable ability to perceive, identify, recognize and interpret biological movements. Point-light diplays (PLD) is the only method used to represent trajectories of human movements in visual material. Biological movement recognition might be disturbed in some disorders., Aim: The aim of the study was to examine if people with central nervous system (CNS) tumors bear deficits in recognizing biological movement. In addition, authors of this study decided to examine whether these deficits are associated with cognitive functions (especially executive functions)., Materials and Methods: The study was performed at Neurosurgical Department of the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, Poland. The patients who were admitted to Neurosurgical Department in the purpose of brain tumour removal were recruited to the study group. The control group consisted of healthy people. Neuropsychological tools (ACE-III, Rey figure, CTT, Ruff Figural Fluidity Test, WAIS-R Digit Span) and a program for biological motions recognition., Results: In terms of age, education level and gender no statistical differences were observed between the control group and the research group. Our study revealed statistically significant differences in the recognition of biological movement in the control and study group. The correlation analysis between EF and biological movement recognition were found in the following domain of neurophysiological tests: RFFT unique combinations, M-ACE, ACE-III visual-spatial functions, CTT interference indicator., Conclusions: People affected by brain tumours have impaired ability to recognize biological movements., (© 2021 MEDPRESS.)

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy for Parkinson's Disease (PD) and dystonia is associated with the possibility of both minor and major complications. One possible side effect is the depletion of implantable pulse generator (IPG) battery and the associated sudden recurrence of PD or dystonia symptoms, which can be potentially life-threatening. Delayed or postponed outpatient visits due to COVID -19 may be a risk factor of battery end-of-life consequences., Objective: To analyse the clinical outcomes in reported PD and dystonia patients treated with DBS, who, as a result of the sudden depletion of the neurostimulator battery, developed life-threatening symptoms., Materials and Methods: The databases of PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE and Google Scholar were searched using pre-established criteria., Results: A total of 244 articles was found, of which 12 met the adopted criteria. Selected papers presented a total of 17 case reports of DBS-treated patients - 11 with PD, and six with dystonia - who had depleted IPG batteries and due to rapid worsening of PD/dystonia symptoms required urgent hospital admission. IPG battery replacement was the only effective treatment in the majority of cases., Conclusions: IPG battery depletion can result in fatal outcomes. Sudden recurrence of PD or dystonia symptoms in patients treated by DBS can be potentially life-threatening, so scheduling the replacement of a discharged IPG battery should not be postponed. The COVID-19 pandemic should alert staff at emergency, neurology and movement disorders wards not to postpone the visits of patients with an implanted DBS system.

Introduction: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has achieved substantial success as a treatment for movement disorders such as Parkinson's Disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and dystonia. More recently, a limited number of basic and clinical studies have indicated that DBS of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and other neighbouring structures of the reward circuit may be an effective intervention for patients with treatment-refractory addiction., Material and Methods: We performed a structured literature review of human studies of DBS for addiction outlining the clinical efficacy and adverse events. We found 14 human studies targeting mostly the NAc with neighbouring structures such as anterior limb of the internal capsule (ALIC). Five studies including 12 patients reported the outcomes for alcohol dependence. Nine studies including 18 patients reported the outcomes for addictions to various psychoactive substances. The most common indication was addiction to heroin, found in 13 patients, followed by methamphetamine, 3 patients, cocaine, one patient, and polysubstance drug abuse in one patient., Conclusions: The limited clinical data available indicates that DBS may be a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of intractable addiction. In general, the safety profile of DBS in patients with addiction is good. Based on the data published in the literature, the NAc is the most often targeted, and is probably the most effective, structure of the reward circuit in the treatment of addiction in humans. Given the ever-expanding understanding of the psychosurgery of addiction, DBS could in the future be a treatment option for patients suffering from intractable addictive disorders.

Background: Status epilepticus (SE) and super-refractory status epilepticus (SRSE) are life-threatening medical emergencies. The first-line treatment for SE or SRSE includes i. v. anesthetic agents with respiratory support, AEDs, and steroids. Surgical interventions are indicated if medical treatments fail to abrupt the seizures. Apart from resective epilepsy surgery employed for the treatment of SE and SRSE, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of thalamic nuclei is aimed at directly influencing the brain function., Objective: The main objective of this review is to present the efficacy and safety of DBS in SE and SRSE in humans., Methods: We performed the literature search regarding DBS therapy in the treatment of SE and SRSE. All manuscripts written in English have been analyzed and included in this review., Results: We were able to find 7 case reports describing DBS outcomes for the treatment of SE or SRSE in 8 patients. Six patients operated for SE or SRSE gained a significant seizure reduction or total abolition of seizures. One patient due to an infection and the other one due to a stimulation-related adverse event required the total DBS hardware removal., Conclusions: Case reports suggest that DBS can be considered as one of the treatment choices in SE and SRSE cases. A small number of treated cases and various thalamic nuclei targeted by DBS electrodes preclude drawing definitive conclusions. It can be speculated that a shorter duration of refractory SE or SRSE before a DBS procedure may efficiently reduce seizure frequency., (Copyright © 2020 British Epilepsy Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent evidence suggests that immunological aspects play a pivotal role in this disorder. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is crucial in recognizing microbial infections and mediating innate immune response. The objective of our study was to rate with flow cytometry the levels of several subsets of dendritic cells, monocytes, and basic peripheral blood lymphocytes expressing TLR2, aiming at the determination of a possible correlation between the expression of TLR2 and the clinical outcomes of endometriosis in 40 patients and 40 age-matched healthy women. Our study showed the importance of TLR2 expression, mainly on myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and B cells in patients with endometriosis. Both mDCs BDCA1+CD19-TLR2+ and B lymphocytes CD19+TLR-2+ proved useful in the differentiation of affected individuals with stages 3-4 of the disease (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve /AUC/ = 0.96, p < 0.0001 for mDCs; AUC = 0.78, p = 0.0001 for B lymphocytes), and those presenting adhesion (AUC = 0.92, p < 0.0001 for mDCs; AUC = 0.82, p < 0.0001 for B lymphocytes) or infertility (AUC = 0.83, p < 0.0001 for mDCs; AUC = 0.73, p = 0.006 for B lymphocytes). Our findings suggest that the levels of TLR2-expressing cells, particularly mDCs and B lymphocytes, may be an effective biomarker of endometriosis, because the disease currently lacks clinically useful noninvasive biomarkers enabling early and cost-effective diagnosis.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to present a case series of 3 patients with longstanding, severe, debilitating dystonic head tremor (DT) coexistence with cervical dystonia (CD) treated successfully by bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS). Pharmacological treatment including benzodiazepines and botulinum toxin injections employed to overactive muscles have failed to adequately control dystonic jerking movements of the head and neck., Patients and Methods: All patients were diagnosed with DT who accompanied CD. Two patients underwent bilateral implantation of DBS leads into the posteroventrolateral segment of the globus pallidus internus (GPi). 1 patient received combination of implantation of left lead in the nucleus ventralis intermedius of the thalamus (Vim) and the bilateral implantation of DBS leads in the GPi. All surgeries were uneventful. The formal preoperative objective assessment included Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale (TWSTRS) and the motor score of Tremor Rating Scale (TRS). The postoperative TWSTRS, TRS assessments were done at 3, 6 months and 12 months postoperatively up to 48 months after surgery., Results: At the 12 months postoperative follow-up visit, the severity, disability and pain scores of TWSTRS were improved by 56 %, 52 % and 38,5 % respectively. The TRS improved by 66 % at 12 months when compared to baseline TRS score. One patient developed seroma over the implanted internal pulse generator and had some wound healing problems which solved without sequel. There were no hardware-related complications over follow-up period., Conclusion: Our experience gathered in 3 patients indicates that bilateral DBS can be an effective treatment for disabling, pharmacological refractory tremulous CD., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a challenging multifactorial disorder with the highest mortality rate among all psychiatric disorders. Due to the low rate of long-term treatment success, new treatment options are needed. Here, we review Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) as a treatment of Severe Intractable AN. The mechanisms of AN have shown significant involvement of the central nervous system especially the same brain regions which are involved with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). AN and OCD display many similarities in psychiatric practice such as compulsive behaviours and anxiety levels, which are related to networks in the brain, that can be altered using DBS. Our literature search revealed 8 studies totalling 28 individuals with AN and comorbid OCD or MDD. The most common stereotactic targets included the sub-callosal cingulate cortex (Brodmann area 25)/medial forebrain bundle (MFB) for AN and comorbid MDD and nucleus accumbens (NAc)/ventral striatum for AN and comorbid OCD. In most cases bilateral DBS of various structures of the reward system achieved good results in BMI, and core AN symptoms and psychiatric comorbidities showed sustained improvement. DBS is a promising treatment modality for AN and comorbid OCD or MDD. These results highlight promise and hope for patients with AN. However, further studies with larger patient populations are needed to shed light on the long-term outcomes of DBS and its effects in AN treatment.

Despite the ongoing progress in cancer research, the global cancer burden has increased to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Gynecological cancers, such as ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers, considerably contribute to global cancer burden, leading to $5,862.6, $2,945.7, and $1,543.9 million of annual costs of cancer care, respectively. Thus, the development of effective therapies against gynecological cancers is still a largely unmet medical need. One of the novel therapeutic approaches is to induce anti-cancer immunity by the inhibition of the immune checkpoint pathways using monoclonal antibodies. The molecular targets for monoclonal antibodies are cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein-4 (CTLA-4), programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1). The rationale for the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with gynecological cancers was based on the immunohistological studies showing high expression levels of PD-1 and PD-L1 in those cancers. Currently available immune checkpoint inhibitors include nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, avelumab, durvalumab, and ipilimumab. The efficacy and safety of these inhibitors, used as monotherapy and with combination with chemotherapy, is being currently evaluated in several clinical studies. As the results are promising, more clinical trials are being planned, which may lead to the development of efficient therapies for gynecological cancer patients.

Background: We present our operative experience of patients with movement disorders who developed intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), which was identified on intraprocedural stereotactic computed tomography (CT) imaging performed immediately after deep brain stimulation (DBS) lead placement and prior to the implantation of further components of the DBS hardware., Methods: Patients who underwent DBS lead implantation from January 2009 through December 2017 were included in the present study. Most of the surgeries were performed in a staged fashion. All patients were operated using identical surgical and intraprocedural imaging techniques, and no microelectrode recordings were done. Leksell Stereotactic G frame and neuronavigation software was utilized for all surgeries. Intraprocedural stereotactic CT was performed to confirm the precise position of the implanted DBS lead and to rule out any hemorrhagic complications., Results: Overall, 222 patients underwent 322 DBS lead implantations during 316 stereotactic procedures. Six patients exhibited early ICH recognized on intraprocedural stereotactic CT performed immediately after DBS lead placement; in addition, two patients developed delayed ICH due to large venous infarction. Four patients with ICH were asymptomatic. The ICH rate was 2.5% per electrode and 3.6% per patient; the permanent deficit rate was 1.2% per electrode and 1.8% per patient. The death rate due to ICH in our cohort was 0.6% per electrode and 0.9% per patient., Conclusions: Intraprocedural stereotactic CT can not only visualize the implanted DBS lead in the stereotactic space but also rule out early ICH. Identified predisposing factors for development of ICH include patient's age, hypertension, and previous antiplatelet therapy. Careful planning of stereotactic trajectories plays a paramount role in reducing the rate of ICH in DBS surgery., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aim: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with the Parkinson"s Disease Questionnaire 39 (PDQ-39) after unilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) and to identify correlations between the changes in UPDRS (Unified Parkinson"s Disease Rating Scale) scores and separate PDQ-39 QoL dimensions and PDQ summary index (SI) score at short-term follow-up (FU1) and long-term follow-up (FU2)., Material and Methods: We evaluated 33 patients with PD after unilateral STN DBS. All patients were assessed at baseline and at FU1 and at FU2. HRQoL levels were determined by applying PDQ-39 and PD progression was evaluated by parts I-IV of the UPDRS., Results: All dimensions of PDQ-39 as well as PDQ-39 SI score were highly significantly improved at FU1. The same improvements were mostly visible at FU2 except for psychosocial functioning. The PDQ-39 SI score was reduced by 40 % (p < 0.01) at FU1 and by 25 % (p < 0.01) at FU2. A significant reduction between the UPDRS baseline scores and the UPDRS follow-up scores was noticed for medication off and on conditions under unilateral STN DBS. Interestingly, we did not find strong positive correlations between the improvements of the UPDRS scores and individual PDQ-39 dimensions as well as PDQ-39 SI score., Conclusion: Improvements in PDQ-39 dimensions and PDQ-39 SI score are maintained at FU1 and except for the aspects of psychosocial functioning at FU2. Different correlations between the improvements of separate UPDRS scores on PDQ-39 dimensions require future studies in larger study groups.

The true incidence of hemorrhagic venous infarctions in deep brain stimulation (DBS) procedures is very difficult to determine. These hemorrhagic venous complications are very rare and often grouped as all hemorrhagic complications. We report the clinical cases of 2 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) who received unilateral globus pallidus DBS and developed hemorrhagic venous infarctions. In these 2 patients a small injury to a dural outflow venous structure or a superficial brain vein resulted in hemorrhagic venous infarctions. We present the management of these rare complication with detailed radiologic follow-up. The first patient made a full recovery but the second patient deceased 5 months after DBS surgery due to aspiration pneumonia. We stress that careful planning of a stereotactic trajectory reduces significantly hemorrhagic complications in DBS surgery but not fully exclude some side effects like venous hemorrhagic infarctions which may result in prolong hospitalization or death.

Objectives: The role of angiogenesis in leiomyosarcomas still remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the NRP1 expression in the leiomyosarcoma tissues and to find the relations between its expression and the clinical features., Material and Methods: The study group consisted of 50 patients with diagnosis of the uterine leiomyosarcoma. Clinical and follow up data were collected. Using immunohistochemical methods the expression of NRP1 was detected., Results: The lack of NRP1 expression was found in 14 cases, positive (weak or moderate) expression was noted in 36 cases. The significantly higher expression of NRP1 was observed in more severe clinical stages in comparison to lower stages of the disease. The significantly shorter survival of patients with the positive expression of NRP1 in leiomyosarcoma was observed., Conclusions: The expression of NRP1 is associated with clinical advancement and worse prognosis in uterine LMS. Neuropilin 1 can be widely used as a postoperative survival predictor for the patients suffering from uterine LMS.

Background: The aim of the present study was to report the short-term as well long-term results of bilateral pallidal stimulation in 6 consecutive patients for severe debilitating craniocervical dystonia (Meige syndrome) using Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS)., Methods: We evaluated 6 consecutive patients with the diagnosis of intractable long-standing craniocervical dystonia. The formal objective assessment included the motor and disability BFMDRS scores. The BFMDRS assessment was performed before and after it roughly annually up to 60months when bilateral pallidal stimulation was switched on and compared to baseline BFMDRS scores. We present short-term (3months postoperatively) follow-up as well long-term (from 6 to 60months) results. Baseline BFMDRS scores and subsequent follow-up BFMDRS scores were compared with the use of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for matched pairs. A two-tailed probability level of 5% (p<0.05) was considered significant., Results: Bilateral GPi DBS improved the BFMDRS total movement score by 65% at short-term follow-up and by 53% at long-term follow-up when compared to baseline scores. Subscores for eyes at short-term follow-up were reduced by 78%, for mouth by 58%, and for speech/swallowing by 49%. This improvements for individual subscores were maintained at long-term follow-up and were as follows for eyes by 67%, mouth by 50% and speech/swallowing by 39%. The BFMDRS disability score was reduced by 48% at short-term follow-up and by 55% at long-term follow-up when compared to baseline scores., Conclusion: Our results showed that bilateral GPi DBS in craniocervical dystonia is effective and safe. Phasic dystonic movements like blepharospasm or oromandibular dystonia responded very fast and favorable to pallidal stimulation reducing disabilities., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We report a case of deep brain stimulation (DBS) hardware failure due to emergently performed subcutaneous coronary angioplasties complicated by cardioversion for rapid worsening of angina pectoris and some trouble shooting problems emerged after invasive cardiovascular procedures. The patient with prior implantation of permanent pacemaker due to vasovagal syndrome underwent successful left-sided unilateral electrode implantation into the subthalamic nucleus. During 21 months follow-up period the patient experienced 2 times episodes of aggravation of unstable angina pectoris 15 and 21 months respectively, which necessities emergent coronary angioplasties. After the first emergently performed coronary angioplasty with cardioversion the interrogation of DBS system revealed the depletion of an internal pulse generator (IPG). The secondly performed coronary angioplasty complicated by ventricular tachyarrhythmia with DBS system switched on during emergent cardioversion resulted in partial dysfunction of DBS electrode. Patients harboring cardiovascular implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) and DBS systems require special attention and good cooperation of neurosurgeons, interventional cardiologist, and neurologist. Some emergently performed invasive cardiovascular procedures which necessities cardioversion may cause DBS hardware failure with subsequent worsening of movement disorder symptoms., (Copyright © 2017 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The objective of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the density of vessels exhibiting positive glycoprotein CD34 expression in the uterine leiomyosarcoma tissues and their correlation with the age of patients at the time of tumor diagnosis., Material and Methods: The archival paraffin blocks with the cancer tissues collected from 50 patients suffering from uterine leiomyosarcoma were used together with their clinical and demographic data. The immunohistochemical peroxidase-de-pendent methods were used to detect microvessels with positive CD34 expression. The glycoprotein CD34 expression was evaluated as a density of microvessel showing the positive immunohistochemical reaction (MVDCD34)., Results: The negative, statistically significant correlation between the age of patients (at the moment diagnosis) and the MVDCD34+ (R = -0.289, p = 0.042) was found., Conclusions: The study's findings may suggest that the tissues of younger people constitute a permissive environment for pro-angiogenic factors.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the results of unilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) stimulation for the treatment of Parkinson"s disease (PD) with marked asymmetry of parkinsonian motor symptoms and early motor complications., Material and Methods: The clinical series consisted of 32 consecutive PD patients, in whom unilateral STN stimulation was performed. All patients were assessed according to the Unified Parkinson"s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), and Hoehn and Yahr staging. The patients were assessed preoperatively, and at 12, and 24 months after unilateral STN stimulation. 22 patients were followed for 2 years., Results: Medication off/stimulation on total UPDRS motor scores were improved by 29% when compared to the baseline medication off motor scores. The contralateral motor scores improved by 49%, whereas the axial motor scores by 18% in medication off/stimulation on condition. The duration and severity of levodopa induced dyskinesia were reduced respectively by 73% and by 77%. The daily levodopa dose was decreased by only 10%., Conclusion: Unilateral STN stimulation is a safe and effective procedure for selected patients with marked asymmetry Parkinson"s disease motor symptoms and early motor complications.

Aim: Tardive dystonia (TD) represents a side effect of prolonged intake of neuroleptic drugs. TD can be a disabling movement disorder persisting despite available medical treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been reported successful in this condition although the number of treated patients with TD is still limited to small clinical studies or case reports. In this study, we present 2 additional cases of patients after bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) stimulation., Methods: The formal assessment included the Burke-Fahn-Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS). The preoperative and postoperative functional and motor parts of this scale were compared in each patient. The postoperative assessments were done every 6 months., Results: Both patients underwent successful bilateral GPi DBS for TD. The postoperative motor score improved by 78% at 24 months in patient 1 and 69% at 12 months in patient 2. There were no surgical or hardware-related complications over follow-up period., Conclusion: Our experience indicates that bilateral GPi DBS can be an effective treatment for disabling TD. The response of TD to bilateral GPi DBS is very rapid and occurs within days after the procedure., (Copyright © 2016 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Background: Tardive dystonia (TD) represents a side effect of prolonged intake of dopamine receptor blocking compounds. TD can be a disabling movement disorder persisting despite available medical treatment. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been reported successful in this condition although the number of treated patients with TD is still limited to small clinical studies or case reports. The aim of this study was to present the systematical overview of the existing literature regarding DBS for intractable TD., Methods and Results: A literature search was carried out in PudMed. Clinical case series or case reports describing the patients with TD after DBS treatment were included in the present overview. Literature search revealed 19 articles reporting 59 individuals operated for TD. GPi was the target in 55 patients, while subthalamic nucleus (STN) was the target in the remaining 4. In most studies the motor part of Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) was improved by more than 80% when compared to preoperative BFMDRS scores., Conclusions: The performed literature analysis indicates that bilateral GPi DBS is an effective treatment for disabling TD. The response of TD to bilateral GPi DBS may be very rapid and occurs within days/weeks after the procedure. The efficacy of bilateral GPi DBS in TD patients is comparable to results achieved in patients with primary generalized dystonia., (Copyright © 2016 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Twiddler syndrome is described as a spontaneous rotation or intentional external manipulation of implanted cardiac or occasionally deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices. We report this hardware related complication in a patient with tremor dominant Parkinson's disease (PD), who underwent unilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) DBS and subsequently developed twiddler syndrome. The clinical course of twiddler syndrome in this patient is described. Some surgical nuances which may prevent its occurrence are suggested. Our case report indicates that twiddler syndrome occurs in DBS patients. Impedance check of DBS hardware, plain chest X-ray, or palpation for a knobbly extension lead through the skin above the IPG allows the correct diagnosis and subsequently a prompt surgical revision. Our subsequent literature review revealed only 10 patients with twiddler syndrome in DBS patient population worldwide. This number may suggest that this syndrome may be unrecognized or underreported, given the number of patients with movement disorders implanted with DBS hardware worldwide., (Copyright © 2015 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Bilateral pallidal stimulation is an established surgical management for patients with primary generalised dystonia (PGD). The aim of this study was to present our long-term experience of bilateral pallidal stimulation in patients with PGD., Methods: The study population is composed of 12 patients diagnosed with of PGD (six patients with DYT-1 positive PGD and six patients with DYT-1 negative PGD). The patients were operated under general anaesthesia with no intraoperative target refinement by means of microrecording. The stereotactic technique was based on a combination of the indirect targeting technique relative to the midcommisural point coordinates and direct image-guided MRI target refinement. The formal objective assessment included the Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS). The BFMDRS assessment was performed before and after it annually up to five years when bilateral pallidal stimulation was switched on and compared to baseline scores. Baseline BFMDRS scores and subsequent follow-up BFMDRS scores were compared with the use of a Wilcoxon signed-rank test for matched pairs. A two-tailed probability level of 5% (p<0.05) was considered significant., Results: At the last follow-up visit, in patients with DYT-1 positive PGD the mean preoperative functional and motor scores of the BFMDRS decreased from 14.0 and 63.75 to postoperative scores of 5.75 (p=0.068) and 22.0 (p=0.066), respectively. In patients with DYT-1 negative PGD the mean preoperative functional and motor scores of the BFMDRS decreased from 13.0 and 46.5 to postoperative scores of 5.25 (p=0.066) and 22.75 (p=0.068), respectively. The hardware-related complications affected seven patients., Conclusions: Our results indicate that bilateral pallidal stimulation is an effective treatment for patients with DYT-1 positive and DYT-1 negative PGD. The most common hardware-related complication (DBS lead breakage) in our series was associated with the slippage of the connector to the cervical area. To prevent this complication after changing the surgical technique (suturing and placing the connector in parietal region) we did not observe these complications. Unilateral IPG failure resulted in the development of severe status dystonicus., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the quality of life (QoL) using Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire PDQ-39 after bilateral subthalamic deep brain stimulation (STN DBS), and to identify correlations between changes in UPDRS score and separate PDQ-39 QoL dimensions and PDQ summary index (SI) score at long-term follow-up., Methods: We evaluated 16 patients with advanced PD after bilateral STN DBS. All 16 patients were assessed 1 year after surgery and 14 were studied 2 years after surgery. The patients were assessed using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in medication-on and medication-off conditions, both preoperatively and postoperatively. All UPDRS evaluations were performed postoperatively during stimulation-on condition. QoL levels were determined by applying PDQ-39 questionnaire., Results: The UPDRS scores after 1 and 2 years in medication-off and -on conditions when bilateral STN DBS was switched on showed a significant difference between baseline scores and follow-up scores (both in -off and -on conditions) in every UPDRS measurement except for mentation after 2 years. Most of P-values indicated that the differences were highly significant (P<0.01) based on Wilcoxon signed-rank test. All dimensions of PDQ-39 as well PDQ-39 SI score were highly significantly improved after 1 year. The same improvements were visible in 2 years follow-up with the exception of social support and communication. We found a positive correlation between ADL UPDRS, motor off UPDRS scores and PDQ-39 ADL and PDQ-39 SI scores. A further analysis of separate motor PD features revealed that tremor, bradykinesia and axial features were correlated with improvements mostly seen in PDQ-39 ADL and PDQ-39 SI scores. Moreover, in medication-on condition, we found a strong correlation between dyskinesia UPDRS score and PDQ-39 mobility, ADL, and PDQ-39 SI score. We observed a negative correlation between improved fluctuation UPDRS score and PDQ-39 mobility. We identified no correlation between the duration of the off period and levodopa dose and changes in PDQ-39., Conclusion: STN DBS significantly improved important aspects of QoL as measured by PDQ-39. The improvements were maintained at 2 years follow-up except for social support and communication. We demonstrated a positive correlation between changes in the off condition of motor UPDRS scores and dyskinesia UPDRS scores in several PDQ-39 dimensions, whereas fluctuation UPDRS scores were negatively correlated with PDQ-39 mobility scores., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Meige syndrome (MS) is characterized by blepharospasm, facial, oromandibular, and often cervical dystonia. The medical treatment of this condition is challenging and unsuccessful over long time. Recent case reports and small clinical series showed that bilateral deep brain stimulation (DBS) of globus pallidus pars interna (GPi) improves dystonic features of MS validated by Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS)., Materials and Methods: We report on our experience in using bilateral GPi DBS in 3 cases of MS. We present short-term (3 months) follow-up as well long-term (from 8 months to 36 months) results. Preoperative and postoperative BFMDRS assessments were performed on each patient. The postoperative BFMDRS scores was done when both stimulators were switched on and compared to baseline scores., Results: Bilateral GPi DBS reduced the BFMDRS total movement score by 66% at short-term follow-up, and by 75% at long-term follow-up when compared to baseline scores. The BFMDRS total disability score was reduced by 34% at short-term follow-up, and by 47% at long-term follow-up when compared to baseline scores., Conclusions: Our results showed that bilateral GPi DBS in MS is effective and safe, if conservative treatment options failed. The benefit is not only observed at short-term 3 months period but is maintained at long-term follow-up ranging from 8 to 36 months., (Copyright © 2014 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.)

Uncontrollable cell division and disorders of the apoptotic processes constitute the key phenomena in cancer transformation. The theory that the tumour growth above critical density is possible due to creation of the new blood vessels during angiogenesis process was put forward in 1971 by Folkman. The panendotelial antibodies targeted against such markers as CD34 are used most frequently in cancer vessel evaluation. The anti-CD34 reacts with the largest number of endoepithelial cells. The second group constitutes the antibodies that agglomerate with the antigens characteristic for proliferous endoepithelial cells. The most popular marker used for functional endothelial tissues is endoglin called CD105. The subject of this publication is to find the answer to a question whether the practical usage of the CD34 and CD 105 as a prognostic factor in predicting failure of a planned treatment, determining expected remission and the total survival rate is possible. 74 patients with the diagnosed ovarian cancer, treated in the I Clinic of Gynecology Oncology and Gynecology, Medical University in Lublin, between years 1999-2004 were included into the analysis. Representative paraffin blocks with the embedded ovarian cancer fragments were used for immunohistochemical research. Density of the microvessels was being evaluated basing on the expression of the antigen CD34 and CD105. Evaluation of the microvessel density with CD34 and CD105 markers is not useful in forecasting survival rate and disease recurrence in patients with ovary cancer.

Nowadays, functional neurosurgery is an established treatment for movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia. The effectiveness and safety of neuromodulation procedures (deep brain stimulation) replaced in the last years ablative irreversible stereotactic lesions for movement disorders. Stereotactic radiosurgery with gamma knife is a non-invasive form of treatment for movement disorders. The main limitation of stereotactic radiosurgery is the impossibility of electrophysiological confirmation of the target structure. Nevertheless, patients with advanced age and significant medical conditions that preclude classic open stereotactic procedures or patients who must receive anticoagulation therapy may gain great functional benefit using gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established and accepted treatment modality of generalized dystonia. The stereotactic target to be approached with DBS leads is the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi). Bilateral GPi stimulation in patients suffering from primary generalized dystonia reduced dystonic movement not only in the trunk and limbs but also in the neck and face. These observations have led to the use of GPi stimulation in patients with severe torticollis and Meige syndrome refractory to pharmacological agents as well to botulinum toxin injections. An increasing number of reports indicate the effectiveness of GPi stimulation in the treatment of intractable focal and segmental dystonia. Moreover, DBS can be performed simultaneously on both sides during one operative session. This treatment modality is reversible and safer when compared to stereotactic ablative techniques. In future, DBS can become an alternative treatment for intractable focal and segmental dystonia.

The authors report a case of bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) stimulation for treatment of medically intractable isolated lower limb dystonia. The 14-year-old girl developed dystonic movements in her left lower limb. At the age of 17, the patient was handicapped by dystonic movements in her lower limbs, and became wheelchair-bound. Pharmacological therapy and botulinum toxin injection resulted in transient and modest benefit. Moreover, the patient was diagnosed with histologically proven coeliac disease and Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Genetic testing revealed the presence of DYT-1 mutation. The 17-year-old girl underwent bilateral implantation of deep brain stimulation leads. Bilateral GPi stimulation resulted in remarkable improvement of phasic dystonic movements, and dystonic posture of lower limbs. Over 2 years postoperative follow-up, the patient is able to walk independently. Bilateral GPi stimulation appears to be an effective treatment modality for isolated lower limb dystonia.

Background and Purpose: Primary generalized dystonia (PGD) is a medically refractory progressive disease of the brain causing near total handicap of affected patients. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of bilateral pallidal stimulation in patients with PGD., Material and Methods: The study population is composed of 5 patients with PGD. The formal objective assessment included the Burke-Fahn-Marsden dystonia rating scale (BFMDRS). All stereotactic procedures were performed in general anaesthesia using a Leksell G stereotactic head frame without electrophysiological guidance. Immediately after insertion of deep brain stimulation (DBS) leads, the internal pulse generators (Itrel II or Soletra) were implanted subcutaneously in the chest wall or abdominal region., Results: There were no complications related to the stereotactic procedures. The hardware-related complications (two broken DBS leads) were replaced successfully. There were no infections or erosions of implanted hardware. It has been observed that in the long-term follow-up period primary set bipolar stimulation mode lost its benefit achieved previously. Various stimulation combinations were investigated. Monopolar cathodal or especially multi-contact cathodal stimulation was the most effective one. The efficacy of bilateral pallidal stimulation was proved by the objective validated BFMDRS at long-term follow-up., Conclusions: Response to DBS may improve with the number of activated cathodal contacts within the globus pallidus internus.

Background: Neuropilin (NRP) may be used as a marker of lymphangiogenesis in malignant tumors. Significant correlations of the expression of NRP with tumor progression and overall survival prognosis were found in several cancer types. However; its potential role in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has not been clarified., Aims: The aim of the work was to study a possible correlation of neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) expression with selected clinical and histological features of EOC., Material and Methods: The study included 53 women (aged 23 to 81, mean 56.6 +/- 14.4 yrs), 38 of which were postmenopausal (71.7%). Immunohistochemical staining with a specific anti-NRP-1 antibody was performed in representative tumor tissue samples of patients with EOC. Both, percentage of stained lymphatic cells and intensity of staining were assessed under 200x magnification. The results were correlated with the menopausal status, FIGO stage, histological type and histological grade of EOC., Results: Histological examination revealed that there were 27 cases of serous cancers (50%), 15 cases of mucinous cancer (28.3%) and 11 endometrioid cancers (20.7%). In 41.5% (n = 22) cases of EOC no NRP-1 staining was found, a weak (+) or strong (++) staining were found in 13 (24.5%) and 18 tumors, respectively There were no significant differences between neuropilin-1 expression and both menopausal status of women and histological type of EOC. Except for stage II, clinical EOC patients' FIGO stage was not correlated with the lack of expression (38.8% for stage I, 71.4% for stage II and 35.7% for stage III)., Conclusion: We believe that neuropilin-1 expression is probably not related to clinical and histological features of epithelial ovarian cancer:

Background and Purpose: The objective of the study was to assess bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) for patients with advanced Parkinson disease (PD)., Material and Methods: The study population included 5 patients with bilateral STN DBS who completed a 5-year postoperative follow-up period. In all patients electrodes (Model 3387 or 3389) were stereotactically bilaterally inserted into the STN using a Leksell stereotactic G frame. The clinical rating tests included Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and two motor-timed tests derived from CAPIT (rapid movements between two points and stand-walk-sit test). All patients were assessed in off and on condition before implantation and 1, 3 and 5 years in medication on and off condition and stimulation on condition and stimulation off condition. To compare preoperative to postoperative UPDRS scores, only mean values and standard deviations are presented because of the small study population., Results: The stimulation effect was noted in the off state, resulting in a 59% improvement in motor scores of UPDRS at 5-year follow-up, when compared to preoperative scores. In the on state the stimulation improved motor scores by 17%. At 5-year follow-up, reduction of daily levodopa dose was 50%., Conclusions: Bilateral STN DBS is an effective and safe treatment for patients with advanced PD. Bilateral STN DBS contributes to improvement of parkinsonian symptoms in the off state and levodopa-induced dyskinesia. This can be correlated with a 50% reduction of daily levodopa dose 5 years postoperatively.

Despite significant advances in psychopharmacology, many patients with psychiatric disorders remain severely impaired by their conditions in their private, professional and social lives. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a proven method of surgical management of Parkinson's disease, dystonia and essential tremor. Electrodes implanted in deep brain structures have a direct neuromodulatory effect on neuronal structures responsible not only for movement disorders but also for psychiatric disorders. The stereotactic targets for psychiatric disorders include limbic parts of the nuclei of the limbic neuronal loop. At present, DBS is applied to treat medically refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression and Tourette syndrome in small groups of patients. This overview includes the rationale for the use of DBS in psychiatric disorders, a summary of preliminary research done to date, and a discussion of achieved results.

Gaucher's disease is the most common hereditary lysosomal storage disorder and presents with a wide clinical spectrum including parkinsonism. We present a patient first diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease at the age of 38 due to left-sided bradykinesia and rigidity. But thereafter the diagnosis of Gaucher's disease type I according to clinical pictures and clinical genetic testing was made. Despite the optimal enzyme replacement therapy, the parkinsonian symptoms worsened. He was referred for consideration for surgical treatment of his severe parkinsonism. At the age of 54 he underwent right-sided posteroventrolateral pallidotomy. The surgery was uneventful and he immediately improved. On the last examination performed 3 years later, he had mild parkinsonism and was independent in all activities of daily living. This case demonstrates a benefit of surgical treatment for genetically proven Gaucher's disease type I.

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by the presence of vocal and motor tics. Besides tics, patients with TS exhibit a variety of behavioural symptoms, particularly deficit-hyperactivity disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Behavioural therapy is applied in patients with mild forms of TS but it has not been proven to be effective in the long-term follow-up. Patients with disabling motor and vocal tics are treated with neuroleptics and other agents interacting with the dopaminergic system. In most patients reaching adulthood, symptoms spontaneously decrease. Only a limited number of adult patients require long-term medication. Only those patients who were most severely disabled by tics and concomitant obsessive-compulsive disorder were treated in the past by neuroablative neurosurgical procedures. Nowadays, deep brain stimulation is applied in patients with severe forms of TS because of its safety, adjustability, and efficacy.

We describe the effects of unilateral right-sided nucleus accumbens (NA) stimulation in a patient with intractable Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) with associated compulsions and self-injurious behaviour. Pharmacological and behavioural therapies had completely failed to control the patient's tics and compulsions. The electrode (Model 3389 Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) was implanted in the right NA. At 28-month follow-up, deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the right NA effectively alleviated tics and compulsions with patient's self-injurious behaviour. We suggest that this approach can be an effective treatment option for GTS with intractable motor and vocal tics with associated compulsions with self-injurious behaviour.