Deep Brain Stimulation

This course is designed for neurologists and other clinicians involved in identifying the patients most likely to benefit from deep brain stimulation, and who wish to develop or enhance their programming skills. Each participant will have the use of a Medtronic N'Vision^® Programmer and DBS patients participate as case studies.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Accurately identify appropriate candidates for DBS
• Briefly describe the DBS implantation procedure
• Determine when a patient should be referred for surgical evaluation
• Select the appropriate lead placement based on patient symptoms
• Manage DBS patients' medication and rehabilitation post-operatively
• Use a programming algorithm to successfully program a newly implanted patient
• Appropriately bill for services relating to DBS

This course is designed for neurologists and other clinicians who have experience referring patients for DBS surgery and managing post-operative patient care. The course format is primarily case studies and peer-to-peer dialogue. Each participant is required to bring a case study.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Enhance their patient identification for appropriate candidates for DBS
• Enhance efficiency in managing DBS patients
• Achieve the highest level of effectiveness for their patients
• Discuss challenges and strategies with other experienced DBS clinicians to allow all to benefit from the collective experience and knowledge

This 1-day course will provide neurologists and neurosurgeons with enhanced confidence in patient selection, implantation, post-op management, and troubleshooting of patients with the Medtronic DBS system. The program format is case studies and peer-to-peer dialogue.

This course is intended for neurosurgeons that have experience with DBS and are interested in learning more about the new frameless DBS stereotactic technology. The course includes both classroom instruction along with hands-on DBS frameless techniques.

At the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Enhance understanding of frameless accuracy and techniques used for DBS frameless surgery
• Discuss fiducial placement, planning, targeting, microelectrode recording and lead placement using frameless technology and the StimPilot ™ system
• Appropriately bill for services relating to DBS

This course is designed for psychiatrists and neurosurgeons involved in identifying and implanting the patients most likely to benefit from deep brain stimulation for chronic, severe, treatment-resistant Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Each participant will have the use of a Medtronic N'Vision Programmer for hands-on training. Physicians who wish to use Reclaim DBS Therapy for OCD under the FDA’s Humanitarian Device Exemption (HDE) guidelines must first obtain approval from their hospital’s Institutional Review Board (IRB).

At the end of this course, participants will:

• Have an in-depth understanding of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and the history of Deep Brain Stimulation
• Understand the current therapeutic treatment options and be able to accurately identify appropriate OCD candidates for DBS
• Determine when a patient should be referred for surgical evaluation
• Have a comprehensive understanding of the implantation procedure including targeting, intra-operative testing, lead placement and the role of the psychiatrist in the O.R.
• Manage Reclaim DBS Therapy patients' stimulation post-operatively
• Use a programming algorithm to program a newly implanted patient
• Appropriately bill for services relating to DBS for OCD

Each year the Medtronic Educational Department supports a limited number of fellowships in both neurology and neurosurgery. The application period opens every year in early fall.

This educational opportunity is designed to enhance learning and current experience for practitioners who care for patients who have deep brain stimulation systems. Candidates for this program have attended introductory and intermediate level Focus courses and would benefit by furthering their knowledge.

The Traveling Nurse Program delivers the expertise of a nurse with extensive experience in post-operative management of deep brain stimulation patients to neurology centers around the country.

Participants will:

• Understand the neurologist-neurosurgeon team approach
• Learn the value of a nurse in properly educating patients
• Minimize complication rates
• Appropriately select candidates for deep brain stimulation
• Program deep brain stimulation systems effectively
• Understand deep brain stimulation reimbursement issues

Achieving these objectives will increase the number of post-operative DBS patients a center can follow.

This training comprises a full day of observation of a DBS system implant with additional discussion of surgical technique. Each center is highly experienced with implanting DBS systems.

Participant experience with implanting DBS systems may range from inexperienced (new to the procedure) to advanced (seeking new techniques). Physicians wishing to see an implant procedure frequently prefer to observe someone who is using equipment similar to their own, such as frame type, planning station, and intra-operative testing techniques.

This training is held in a private practitioner's office or in an academic clinic setting. It offers observation of patients and discussion of their motor responses as their DBS system is programmed. Participants receive a minimum of 6 hours of training, which includes hands-on programming as well as didactic training.

The training is designed to help participants:

• Understand deep brain stimulation and when to use it
• Learn the key concepts pertaining to programming
• Manage patients at follow-up programming visits

The Speaker's Bureau is a highly developed network of neurologists and neurosurgeons who are experts in using DBS in the management of Parkinson's disease and essential tremor.

All Speaker's Bureau members are leaders in their field, and speak authoritatively on the subject of deep brain stimulation. The speakers are available to travel to local meetings and national events, and are also available for talks to patient support groups and caregivers.