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Around the world almost all of the major medical centers have a Gamma Knife like device even if they don't have patients who can pay for the surgery. The reason for no comparisons between DBS and SRS is that there is no common mode for targeting the discordant neuronal firing. Gamma Knife uses 3D MRI and CAT scan for targeting a particular spot regardless of whether discordant neurons are firing or not. It just coagulates a particular spot. Since it uses radioactivity, the spot it ablates can be either larger or smaller depending on when the radioactive ingredient was loaded. Results from SRS take months or years to appear. DBS results are instantaneous on programming. Brain swelling from the coagulation process take a long period of time to subside. Studies of thalamotomies have indicated that brain cells can change around the lesion after ablation. Autopsy of a DBS patient after death showed no damage or neuronal change around the stimulator probe and tracks of where the micro-electrode listing probes caused no permanent damage. SRS may be good for tumors but for Parkinsons or essential tremor the verdict is still out. The best description of SRS is at the following NIH link: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007274.htm John Cottingham ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn