Perioperative management of Parkinson’s disease

INTRODUCTION: Guidelines for the management of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients in the perioperative setting are lacking. Areas covered: Here we review potential problems that may arise when PD patients are undergoing an operation. We also review the literature, where available, and provide our expert opinion and recommendations based on experience. Expert commentary: Elderly patients with PD are especially prone to complications in the perioperative setting. Extreme caution must be used to ensure appropriate medication administration, transition to non-oral agents, if indicated, and early mobilization to achieve rapid recovery after surgery.