What type of preoperative testing is needed prior to DBS surgery?
Patients should have a brain imaging study (MRI or CT) to determine if there are problems in the brain that would pose excessive risk for surgery, unless one has been done within 1 year. Most patients should have a formal neurological exam in the off-medication condition, following by re-assessment after a test dose of medication, by one of our neurologists or by the referring neurologist. For any patient with a question of cognitive dysfunction, we request formal neuropsychological evaluation. All patients must have a blood test (mainly for blood clotting ability) and visit with the anesthesiologists in the week prior to surgery.
