scholarly journals Optimal deep brain stimulation site and target connectivity for chronic cluster headache

Neurology ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 89 (20) ◽  
pp. 2083-2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harith Akram ◽  
Sarah Miller ◽  
Susie Lagrata ◽  
Marwan Hariz ◽  
John Ashburner ◽  
...  

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of action of deep brain stimulation for refractory chronic cluster headache and the optimal target within the ventral tegmental area.Methods:Seven patients with refractory chronic cluster headache underwent high spatial and angular resolution diffusion MRI preoperatively. MRI-guided and MRI-verified electrode implantation was performed unilaterally in 5 patients and bilaterally in 2. Volumes of tissue activation were generated around active lead contacts with a finite-element model. Twelve months after surgery, voxel-based morphometry was used to identify voxels associated with higher reduction in headache load. Probabilistic tractography was used to identify the brain connectivity of the activation volumes in responders, defined as patients with a reduction of ≥30% in headache load.Results:There was no surgical morbidity. Average follow-up was 34 ± 14 months. Patients showed reductions of 76 ± 33% in headache load, 46 ± 41% in attack severity, 58 ± 41% in headache frequency, and 51 ± 46% in attack duration at the last follow-up. Six patients responded to treatment. Greatest reduction in headache load was associated with activation in an area cantered at 6 mm lateral, 2 mm posterior, and 1 mm inferior to the midcommissural point of the third ventricle. Average responders' activation volume lay on the trigeminohypothalamic tract, connecting the trigeminal system and other brainstem nuclei associated with nociception and pain modulation with the hypothalamus, and the prefrontal and mesial temporal areas.Conclusions:We identify the optimal stimulation site and structural connectivity of the deep brain stimulation target for cluster headache, explicating possible mechanisms of action and disease pathophysiology.

Cephalalgia ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Messina ◽  
Michele Rizzi ◽  
Roberto Cordella ◽  
Augusto Caraceni ◽  
Ernesto Zecca ◽  
...  

Introduction Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamus (pHyp) has been reported as an effective treatment for primary, drug-refractory and chronic cluster headache (CCH). We here describe the use of such a procedure for the treatment of secondary CCH due to a neoplasm affecting the soft tissues of the right hemiface. Methods A 27-year-old man affected by infiltrating angiomyolipoma of the right hemiface who subsequently developed drug refractory homolateral CCH underwent DBS of the right pHyp region at the Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta. Results After surgery, the patient presented a significant reduction in frequency of pain bouts. However, because of a subsequent infection, the entire system was removed. After re-implantation of the system, successful outcome was observed at 2 years follow-up. Discussion This brief report shows the feasibility of pHyp DBS in secondary drug-refractory CCH syndromes; future reports are needed in order to confirm our positive result.


2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-206
Author(s):  
Angelo Franzini ◽  
Giovanni Broggi ◽  
Gennaro Bussone ◽  
Paolo Ferroli ◽  
Massimo Leone ◽  
...  

Neurosurgery ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 65 (CN_suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 115-115
Author(s):  
Nilson N. Mendes Neto ◽  
Jessika Thais da Silva Maia ◽  
Juliano Jose da Silva ◽  
Sergio Adrian Fernandes Dantas ◽  
Marcelo Rodrigues Zacarkim ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 388-397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daivik B. Vyas ◽  
Allen L. Ho ◽  
David Y. Dadey ◽  
Arjun V. Pendharkar ◽  
Eric S. Sussman ◽  
...  

Cephalalgia ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 285-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Bartsch ◽  
MO Pinsker ◽  
D Rasche ◽  
T Kinfe ◽  
F Hertel ◽  
...  

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the posterior hypothalamus was found to be effective in the treatment of drug-resistant chronic cluster headache. We report the results of a multicentre case series of six patients with chronic cluster headache in whom a DBS in the posterior hypothalamus was performed. Electrodes were implanted stereotactically in the ipsilateral posterior hypothalamus according to published coordinates 2 mm lateral, 3 mm posterior and 5 mm inferior referenced to the mid-AC-PC line. Microelectrode recordings at the target revealed single unit activity with a mean discharge rate of 17 Hz (range 13-35 Hz, n = 4). Out of six patients, four showed a profound decrease of their attack frequency and pain intensity on the visual analogue scale during the first 6 months. Of these, one patient was attack free for 6 months under neurostimulation before returning to the baseline which led to abortion of the DBS. Two patients had experienced only a marginal, non-significant decrease within the first weeks under neurostimulation before returning to their former attack frequency. After a mean follow-up of 17 months, three patients are almost completely attack free, whereas three patients can be considered as treatment failures. The stimulation was well tolerated and stimulation-related side-effects were not observed on long term. DBS of the posterior inferior hypothalamus is an effective therapeutic option in a subset of patients. Future controlled multi-centre trials will need to confirm this open-label experience and should help to better define predictive factors for non-responders.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Juan Ángel Aibar-Durán ◽  
María Jesús Álvarez Holzapfel ◽  
Rodrigo Rodríguez Rodríguez ◽  
Robert Belvis Nieto ◽  
Carles Roig Arnall ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVEOccipital nerve stimulation (ONS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) are widely used surgical treatments for chronic refractory cluster headache (CH). However, there is little literature regarding long-term follow-up of these treatments.METHODSThe authors describe two prospective cohorts of patients with refractory CH treated with ONS and DBS and compare preoperative to postoperative status at 6 and 12 months after the surgery and at final follow-up. Efficacy analysis using objective and subjective variables is reported, as well as medication reduction and complications.RESULTSThe ONS group consisted of 13 men and 4 women, with a median age of 44 years (range 31–61 years). The median number of attacks per week (NAw) before surgery was 28 (range 7–70), and the median follow-up duration was 48 months. The DBS group comprised 5 men and 2 women, with a median age of 50 years (range 29–64 years). The median NAw before surgery was 56 (range 14–140), and the median follow-up was 36 months. The NAw and visual analog scale score were significantly reduced for the ONS and DBS groups after surgery. However, while all the patients from the DBS group were considered responders at final follow-up, with more than 85% being satisfied with the treatment, approximately 29% of initial responders to ONS became resistant by the final follow-up (p = 0.0253).CONCLUSIONSONS is initially effective as a treatment for refractory CH, although a trend toward loss of efficacy was observed. No clear predictors of good clinical response were found in the present study. Conversely, DBS appears to be effective and provide a more stable clinical response over time with an acceptable rate of surgical complications.


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