Long term follow-up results of deep brain stimulation of the Globus pallidus interna in pediatric patients with DYT1-positive dystonia

Bilateral pallidotomy for acquired or heredodegenerative generalized dystonia in children

OBJECTIVE

Dystonias are relatively rare disorders characterized by sustained or intermittent muscle contractions causing abnormal movements or postures. Generalized dystonia is a therapeutic challenge because medications are unable to control dystonia adequately in most patients. These patients may be candidates for surgical therapy. The commonly used surgical procedures in these patients are pallidotomy and deep brain stimulation. Limited studies are available on the role of pallidotomy in children with acquired/heredodegenerative generalized dystonia. The objective of this study was to describe the authors’ experience with bilateral pallidotomy in this group of patients.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed all pediatric patients (less than 18 years of age) with acquired/heredodegenerative generalized dystonia who underwent bilateral simultaneous pallidotomy at their center between January 2014 and January 2021. Burke-Fahn-Marsden Dystonia Rating Scale (BFMDRS) scores before and after surgery were recorded. Complications arising after the procedure were recorded as well.

RESULTS

Ten patients (8 male and 2 female) with a mean (range) age of 11.1 (5–17) years were included in this study. The mean duration between disease onset and surgical intervention was 3.9 years. Two patients presented in status dystonicus. The mean ± SD (range) preoperative BFMDRS score of the patients without status dystonicus (n = 8) was 80 ± 18.9 (59.5–108). The mean ± SD BFMDRS score at the time of discharge from the hospital after surgery was 58.8 ± 37.9. Three patients had more than 20% change in BFMDRS score at the time of discharge from the hospital. The mean improvement was 25.5% at the end of 1 year. Of 5 surviving patients in the non–status dystonicus group, 3 patients had more than 40% change in BFMDRS score while the other 2 patients developed recurrence at the last follow-up (4.5 years). Status dystonicus abated after bilateral pallidotomy in both patients. Permanent bulbar complications were seen in 2 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Bilateral pallidotomy may result in clinically significant improvement in children with acquired/heredodegenerative generalized dystonia, although the benefits should be closely weighed against the risk of irreversible bulbar dysfunction. It is a viable option for children in resource-limited settings.

Pressing ethical issues in considering pediatric deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder

BACKGROUND

Refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) among adults is the first psychiatric indication of deep brain stimulation (DBS) to receive an FDA Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE). Given the HDE approval and encouraging evidence that has since emerged, exploration of DBS for OCD may expand to adolescents in the future. More than 100,000 adolescents in the U.S. suffer from refractory OCD, and there is already a precedent for the transition of DBS in adults to children in the case of dystonia. However, the risk-benefit analysis of pediatric DBS for OCD may be more complex and raise different ethical questions compared to pediatric DBS for dystonia.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to gain insight into pressing ethical issues related to using DBS in adolescents with OCD.

METHODS

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with clinicians (n = 25) caring for pediatric patients with refractory OCD. Interview transcripts were coded with MAXQDA 2018 software and analyzed using thematic content analysis to identify emergent themes.

RESULTS

Five central themes were identified in clinician responses, three of which were exacerbated in the pediatric DBS setting. Clinicians expressed concerns related to conditions of decision-making including adolescents' capacity to assent (80%), the lack of evidence about the outcomes and potential unknown effects of using DBS in adolescents with OCD (68%), and the importance of exhausting other treatment options before considering DBS (20%).

CONCLUSIONS

Strategies to address clinician concerns include implementation of validated decision support tools and further research into the outcomes of pediatric DBS for OCD to establish clear guidelines for patient selection.

Deep Brain Stimulation In Iran: Where It Began and Where It Goes

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