Surgical Treatment Methods in Movement Disorders: Mechanisms of Action and Indications

Movement disorders display complex pathophysiologies. The first step in their management is medical treatment. However, if medical treatment is an inadequate or cannot be used because of side effects, surgical treatment should be considered. Surgery is used to treat essential tremors, Parkinson disease, and dystonia. There are two types of surgery currently available: lesioning and neurostimulation. A method called DBS is more preferable than lesioning because its outcomes are reversible and it has a low ratio of morbidity. However, conservative surgical approaches continue to be used for treating some movement disorders. This review discusses lesioning and neurostimulation in the treatment of movement disorders.