Lesion of thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex after chronic deep brain stimulation

A patient with PD who exhibited disabling tremor and prominent dyskinesia u nderwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the left thalamic ventral intermed iate nucleus. The electrode migrated and was replaced but with suboptimal c linical response. Two years later, postmortem analysis found the second ele ctrode tip had entered the thalamic centromedian-parafascicular complex. Th ere was a small thalamotomy and cell loss exceeding that found in PD. Thala mic damage may occur in association with DBS for PD.