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Rick, the first part is where you have an iron halo put on your head to hold it still while they drill hole/s in your skull while you are awake and put a bundle of 4 electrodes the size of a hair in each hole down to the subthalmic nucleus of your brain which feels no pain. They briefly knock you out to sew up your scalp. The 2nd part is where they knock you out and put the Medtronic battery stimulators in your chest. They have leads to your brain electrodes, put there during 1st procedure, go under your scalp and around your neck to chest battery stimulators.In a few days they are turned on sending electrical impulses to the electrodes in your brain. You may have several fine tunings or programmings to get the maximum benefit at lowest frequency so batteries won't wear out too fast. Average battery life is 5 to 7 years, then you have to have them replaced. Most of the infections I have heard of (I was briefly on DBS List before my DBSs, but got kicked off for arguing with the List Owner who was claiming EVERYONE with PD should have DBS even though he had brain infection) are brain infections, but it could be poor placement of electrodes.which is what I think happened to one PIEN List friend's mother. Also, she flew off the table being programmed. The folks at Kaiser weren't too good. I guess Scripps La Jolla CA where I had mine done was a good place. It's supposed to be, but you never know. I did have to have my left brain electrodes repositioned. Some teams do phases 1 and 2 at the same tine, others separate them so they can monitor trouble as they go. I had 4 separate procedures because of the redo. Some do one side at a time. I can't tell either where Carol's infection is/was. although it sounds like it was with the battery stimulators in the chest , not the electrodes in the brain. She can probably clarify this for you.However, I guarantee you it is a daunting experience to say the least. Ray ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick McGirr" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 7:07 AM Subject: Re: RE"DBS SURGERY > You poor dear! Do you yet have a working DBS system? Are you going > through with the whole thing, or have you and your doctors decided > against? It must be tough to go through so much unnecessary 'stuff'. > > I'm not sure I get it... Which part of the proceedure was the part > that caused the infection? Did you have separate surgeries for the > stimulator and the battery? > > Hang in there, Carol. > > Enjoy Fall! > Rick McGirr > Email: [log in to unmask] > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Winnie Carolgray" <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, September 19, 2005 6:38 PM > Subject: RE"DBS SURGERY > > >> let me re introduce myself. I am carol Gray and I have had PD >> for 28 >> years. I have >> been trying to g et o ver my DBS SURGERY. I had my >> original >> surgery last >> September , my adult children were aginst me having the surgery . >> then I had the surgery for implanting my batteries. I had to >> have more >> surgery >> in December because I developed staph infection. He took the >> stimulator out >> and debrided it and I stayed in the hospital for three weeks.upon >> returning to the >> doctor He said that it was still infected and that he would have >> to >> take it >> out Back to the hospital in January t9 returned to hospital to >> have the >> stimlator >> I stayed in the hospital fof two weeks. The surgeon had to make >> another >> surgery to remove the magnets and their leads So that's wjhat I >> have >> been >> up to this year----------------what about you? >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: >> mailto:[log in to unmask] >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn