summary
Deep brain stimulation (dbs) is a neurosurgical intervention carried out in meticulously selected patients with a therapy-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (ocd). We describe the pre- and post-operative psychiatric care given to a 51-year-old woman before, during and after treatment with deep brain stimulation. The psychiatric follow-up included an intensive search for the optimal stimulation parameters, and considerable attention was given to psycho-education, psychotherapy and counselling. The procedure resulted in a marked improvement in the patient’s ocd and made it easier for the patient to re-construct a meaningful life.