Frame placement, awake surgery, and head shaving did not appear to play a significant role in most patients' decision-making process to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS), as analyzed in a recent retrospective cohort. Furthermore, the majority of patients were satisfied with the procedure and reported being comfortable. A survey was sent to 95 consecutive adult patients who underwent DBS surgery for Parkinson disease, essential tremor, or dystonia; the response rate was 73% (69 patients). Researchers found:

• Awake surgery, use of a rigid head frame, and having hair clipped were seldom reported as major deterrents to surgery.
• Patients retrospectively reported an average comfort level of 8.3 ± 1.8 during surgery.
• The average comfort level with head frame placement was reported as 5.2 ± 3.15, and patients reporting discomfort with the frame nonetheless reported overall comfort with the procedure (8.7 ± 1.8).
• An analysis of satisfaction revealed that 90% of patients would recommend the procedure to a family member or friend and that 78% of patients would undergo the procedure again.