Urgent care advice

This leaflet gives you information and useful contact information if your patient needs advice after having Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS):

Urgent care advice for Medical Staff after your patient undergoes Deep Brain Stimulation

Wound Issues (e.g. potential infection or breakdown of skin)

Immediately after surgery (e.g. up to 6 weeks afterwards)

If your patient thinks they have a wound infection or are worried about their wound they should contact the Neurosurgical Wards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital as soon as possible.

It is very important that we are informed about any concerns about the wound at the earliest opportunity.

• Ward 64 – Telephone: 0141 201 2015

Or medical staff can contact the on-call neurosurgical registrar at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow.

Any Mechanical or Electrical Issues with the Pulse Generator

If they are having problems with the battery they may have to check the hand held programmer if they have one. (The programmer allows you to adjust the neurostimulator and to turn it on and off). If they are unsure how to do this they can phone the DBS team for advice or we can arrange for them to attend the clinic. (Please see the contact details).

• Please check that the battery has not been accidentally turned off. This could lead to symptoms being uncontrolled. But can be easily switched back on with a hand-held programmer.
• If the programmer shows the Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) this means the battery is low and will need replaced over the next few months. This is not an emergency. Please contact the DBS Administrator.
• If the programmer shows End of Life (EOL) this means the battery needs replaced. If their symptoms or condition worsens they should contact their GP for advice and we may need to replace this urgently. Otherwise, please contact the DBS administrator to arrange to have the battery replaced.

You can find further information in the DBS booklet, if you do not have a copy please contact the DBS administrator.

Contact Details

Please contact DBS Administrators

Telephone: 0141 232 7512 (Mon-Thurs 8am-4pm and Fri 8am-3.30pm)

  Email:ggc.dbsadmin@nhs.scot

In an emergency medical staff can contact the on-call neurosurgical team via the hospital switchboard on

  Telephone: 0141 201 1100

This leaflet gives you information and useful contact information if you need advice after having Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS):

Urgent care advice for patients and carers after having Deep Brain Stimulation

Wound Issues (e.g. potential infection or breakdown of skin)

If you think you have a wound infection or are worried about your wound please contact the Neurosurgical Wards at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital where you had your surgery as soon as possible:

• Ward 64 – Telephone: 0141 201 2015

for the first 6 weeks after surgery. Thereafter contact the DBS admin team contact details below.

Any Mechanical or Electrical Issues with the Battery (Pulse Generator)

If you are having problems with the battery you may have to check the hand held programmer if you have one. (The programmer allows you to adjust the neurostimulator and to turn it on and off). If you are unsure how to do this you can phone us for advice or we can arrange for you to attend the clinic. (Please see the
contact details).

• Please check that the pulse generator has not been accidently turned off.  This could lead to symptoms being uncontrolled. But you can easily switch it back on if you have a hand-held programmer.

• If the programmer shows the Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) this means the battery is low and will need replaced over the next few months. This is not an emergency. Please contact the DBS Administrator.

• If the programmer shows End of Life (EOL) this means the battery needs replaced. If your symptoms or condition worsens please contact your GP for advice as we may need to replace this urgently. Otherwise, please contact the DBS administrator to arrange to have the battery replaced.

• For any other issues relating to the pulse generator or the hand held programmer please contact the DBS administrator.

You can find further information in the DBS booklet, if you do not have a copy please contact the DBS administrator.

Contact Details

Please contact DBS Administrator

Telephone: 01412327512

  Email: ggc.dbsadmin@nhs.scot

(Monday to Thursday 8am - 4pm, and Friday 8am - 3.30pm)

Out of hours (after 5pm and before 9am and at weekends), if you think you require emergency advice which is not covered above, then your initial point of contact is your GP or NHS 24 on telephone number  111, who may contact the local neurology or neurosurgical team. They, in turn, can then contact the on-call neurosurgical team at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow if this is necessary.