1-2 Years (a 6-month rotation is also part of the 2-year clinical fellowship in Movement Disorders)
Application Open and Close Date:
Usually 2 years prior to start of fellowship
Anticipated Start Date(s):
July 1 (exceptions are possible)
Number of position(s) per year:
4 depending on funding
Description:
Specific targets are:
To know the scientific principles of deep brain stimulation (DBS), other experimental invasive neuromodulation techniques (e.g. spinal cord stimulation), MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), pump-based treatments (subcutaneous or intestinal) and shunt surgery
To know the pre-operative assessments (which tests should be done), including tap test for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) and naso-jejunal test phase for intestinal levodopa-carbidopa gel infusion (LCIG)
To be able to personally perform CAPSIT and principal scales used in clinical scales, including principle of gait analysis
To know how to select the ideal neurosurgical procedure (DBS, MRgFUS, gamma-knife radiosurgery or radiofrequency lesioning)
To know the basic intra-operative neurophysiology and chronic brain recordings (e.g. local field potentials)
To assess the patient during awake surgery (DBS and MRgFUS)
To manage the immediate post-operative phase (medications, complications, botulinum toxin injection etc.)
To be able to program DBS for Vim, STN and GPi patients and manage the meds requirement
To be able to select and program children under consideration for DBS
To be able to program experimental devices, including adaptive DBS and novel targets
To be able to use neuroimaging-based and remote programming for DBS
To be able to program and manage shunt surgery for normal pressure hydrocephalus
To manage the principal complications or side effects after surgery or induced by the stimulation, drug infusion or CSF shunting
To manage the patients in long term follow-up, including telemedicine approaches
