20
Deep Brain Stimulation and Parkinson’ s
Questions to Ask Your Team: The Pre-Surgical Period
To foster productive discussions with your DBS team, consider these questions, shared by Susan Gilbert Cohen, whose husband Stephen Cohen had DBS in 2018. Find her conversation-starter questions about the surgery on page 26 and about the postsurgical period on page 42.
Potential benefits of DBS
Q Am I a candidate for DBS?
Q If not now, when should I consider DBS?
Q For which of my symptoms might DBS be most effective? Least effective?
Q How long will DBS work?
Possible risks of DBS Q What are the possible side effects?
Q How might DBS affect speech, swallowing, balance, thinking or memory, or mood?
Q Might it cause double vision, tingling or other changes?
Q Which activities will it impact?
Pre-op testing Q What’ s required?
Q How many visits and with whom?
Q How long does this process take?
Doctor experience
Q How many Parkinson’ s DBS surgeries have you and your center done?
Q How many do you do per month?
Q How often do you see complications? What kind?
Research
Q Are there any ongoing DBS trials of new devices or surgical techniques that I may consider joining?
Cost Q Is DBS covered by insurance?
Q Does coverage vary for different devices?
Q What is my out-of-pocket cost?
Q What costs, outside of surgery and hospital stays, should I think about?