CHRONIC ELECTROSTIMULATION OF THE NUCLEUS VENTRALIS INTERMEDIUS OF THE THALAMUS FOR TREATMENT OF TREMOR

Chronic electrostimulation of the nucleus ventralis intermedius (v.i.m .) of the thalamus was applied for the treatment of pharmacoresistant tremor in two cases - one patient with essential and one patient with Parkinson tremor. The nucleus v.i.m. was localised and targeted under image-guided and computer-aided stereotaxic conditions. Suppression of tremor activity occured with an impulse frequency of 130 Hz. A platin -iridium electrode 1.3 mm in diameter with four poles was implanted at this point. Following a trial period of about 1 week in order to asse ss the reliability of the stimulation effect the impulse generator was implanted. The results are encouraging and the effect is still good a fter fifteen months. The method of chronic electrostimulation of the v .i.m. thalamic nucleus is a new non-destructive treatment modality for patients suffering from tremor.