Technical ability of surgeon resulted in poor outcomes in DBS patients

[Seamus6]

"Electrodes have to be put in the correct place or within 1-2mm, otherwise they can damage a person's speech and balance.

It examined 22 cases involving 21 patients between 2017 and 2019 and found in only three the electrodes were placed in a good position. Five were usable and 13 were ineffective"

I guess the takeaway from this is do your research and then some, on your surgeon.

bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-b...

[Bolt_Upright]

Yikes.

[Michel0220]

Thank you for circulating this. I live in Oxford and would be in the catchment area of this hospital.

[Buckholt]

I guess all individual surgeons are great at some procedures and not so good with others, and generally we’d like to think this leads to specialisms within a department. Why some individuals persist when not getting good outcomes is a mystery.

[jeeves19]

you’d be done at Oxford I think and they’re a good team .

[Shrink44]

It’s important to find a surgeon with excellent results.

My partner has his Sept 2021, and the results have been amazing. Better than we ever expected.

You made an interesting point though. Our friend, who used a different surgeon, had a terrible outcome in his speech.

With the right placement, and MDR Dr who is proficient at adjusting the settings- it has been a life changer.

Best of luck.

[Seamus6 in reply to Shrink44]

Thanks - although fortunately I'm not needing this procedure in near future. (The story is fairly local to me)

[jeeves19]

The trouble with the U.K. is that we don’t really get a choice of surgeon unless you pay privately 🙁