Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery Dangers

I've mentioned recently about two different deep brain stimulation blogs that are first hand accounts about getting this type of brain implant. (here and here). Now I've come across another account coming from a woman about her husband. Her husband had gotten a deep brain stimulation implant to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. Unfortunately the man got an infection and had to have his DBS device removed. Definitely a nightmare of an experience that shows the kinds of problems that can arise with these types of implants. You can read about it at her blog here.

We looked into a procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). Holes are drilled into the top of the skull and then wires are forced down through the holes and into the brain to find a spot that irritates the cells, causing a disruption of the dyskinesia.

However, along with the installation of the wires into his brain to calm the dyskinesia (we were later to find out), a few nasty little bacteria known as Staphalococcus obviously took up squatting rights on the wires before his head wound was closed.