Deep Brain Stimulation

Deep brain stimulation, or DBS, is a procedure where our doctors place electrodes in specific regions of your brain. The electrodes block abnormal brain circuits, like the kind seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease, tremors and dystonia. DBS is a reversible process, as it does not destroy the overactive cells, but rather blocks the abnormal signals.

Deep Brain Stimulation: Why Choose Wake Forest 

The Movement Disorders Center at Wake Forest Baptist Health has one of the most experienced DBS teams in the nation. We were among the first centers in the nation to perform DBS surgery, in 1997. Since then, hundreds of patients have undergone DBS surgery. See more about the history of DBS at Wake Forest.

Our multidisciplinary team collaborates to ensure you get the best outcome from your surgery. This team, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, and physical, speech and occupational therapists, works together to ensure DBS is right for you. Our physicians receive extensive training, and they are experts in all aspects of DBS—from preoperative screening, to the surgery itself, to the critical postoperative recovery period.

Meet our two specialists, DBS neurosurgeons Thomas Ellis, MD, and  Stephen B. Tatter, MD, and our two DBS-trained movement disorders neurologists  Mustafa Saad Siddiqui, MD, and Ihtsham Haq, MD.

Deep Brain Stimulation at Wake Forest: Experienced Surgeons, a State-of-the-Art Facility

Once your screening process is completed and your movement disorders team ensures that DBS is right for you, you will undergo the surgery. The surgery is performed in a state-of-the-art operating room suite, equipped with the latest technology, like our sophisticated image guidance that uses microelectrode recording to ensure optimal placement of the device. 

Following the surgery, you will receive specialized postoperative care and support. We will monitor you closely through follow-up appointments and can also introduce you to a vast network of support groups. 

Visit our FAQ page to learn more about deep brain stimulation.