Consensus Statements on Deep Brain Stimulation in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a cornerstone therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD), showing superior outcomes over best medical treatment in randomized clinical trials. By delivering adjustable electrical stimulation to key basal ganglia targets, DBS improves tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and motor fluctuations, while also reducing dopaminergic medication requirements. Its success, however, depends not only on precise surgical targeting but also on careful patient selection, multidisciplinary planning, and structured long-term follow-up.

In Italy, PD affects nearly 176,000 individuals, of whom an estimated 2-4.5% are potential candidates for DBS. A national survey conducted by the Italian Neurosurgery Society (SINch) revealed marked heterogeneity in surgical approaches, target selection, and team composition across DBS centers-reflecting similar international variability. Yet, clear national indications and guidelines have not been established. To address this gap, we conducted an expert consensus using the Delphi methodology.