Traditional DBS is performed without general anesthesia with the patient awake. Local anesthetic is used to numb the skin and tissue where the incision is made, and the patients are given mild sedatives to alleviate anxiety and discomfort. Parkinson's patients need to be off their medications during awake DBS in order to obtain single-unit cellular recordings to locate and map the desired target. The process of electrophysiological mapping can result in multiple brain penetrations during lead placement, and the entire procedure may last anywhere from 4-6 hours on average. The concept of being awake during brain surgery and being off medications are significant concerns for some patients. In addition, it is widely recognized that microelectrode recording increases the risk of hemorrhage during DBS surgery.