Unilateral GPi-DBS as a treatment for levodopa-induced respiratory dyskinesia in Parkinson disease.

BACKGROUND

Respiratory dyskinesia is a rare but disabling complication of levodopa therapy for Parkinson disease; however, its treatment has been limited to medication optimization.

CASE REPORT: A 72-year-old woman with a 6-year history of Parkinson disease presented with severe and debilitating levodopa-induced respiratory dyskinesia, which manifested with a short and shallow breathing pattern and panting. These symptoms were observed coincident with limb and truncal dyskinesias. Both respiratory and limb/trunk dyskinesias were addressed by the implantation of a unilateral globus pallidus interna deep brain stimulator (GPi-DBS).

CONCLUSIONS

Although the mechanism of involvement of the respiratory system in dyskinesia is unknown, GPi-DBS seems to be a potentially viable treatment option for these patients.