Abstract:Parkinson's disease is characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra that innervate the caudate and putamen. Primate and rodent models indicate that, after transplantation, fetal mesencephalic tissue is capable of surviving and establishing synaptic reconnectivity with subsequent functional neurologic improvement. Since the late 1980s, fetal tissue transplantation has been performed at selected centers in the United States. This article focuses on patient selection, fetal tissue viability, surgical technique, and postoperative management for patients undergoing fetal tissue transplantation for treatment of Parkinson's disease.