Scientific Position Paper of the Movement Disorder Society Evaluation of Surgery for Parkinson's Disease Mark Hallett, Irene Litvan, and the Members of the Task Force on Surgery for Parkinson's Disease of the American Academy of Neurology Therapeutic and Technology Assessment Committee*

There are numerous options now available for the surgical treatment of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The field is advancing rapidly, and there are many variations in the techniques, even for a single procedure. This has led to some confusion as to what is inappropriate, what is experimental, and what is now acceptable for standard care. The Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Committee of the American Academy of Neurology assembled a task force to write a position paper on this topic which has now been approved by the Academy and published in Neurology. 1 This document has also been approved by the Scientific Issues Committee (Chair, David Brooks, MD) and the International Executive Committee of the Movement Disorder Society. A brief summary of the results is noted here; the original should be consulted for details. The document was prepared by formal procedures and is based entirely on the published literature through December 1998. Almost all papers included were “class III,” peer-reviewed, used, validated methods of assessment and provided consistent clinical data. Although most studies considered were prospective, only two included a concurrent control group, a requirement necessary to meet “class II” evidence. 2,3 Publications in 1999 are noted here as updates but recommendations have not been altered.