Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterised by distressing, irrational, time-consuming, obsessive thoughts and repetitive rituals. When severe, OCD tends to be chronic, often completely impairs an individual socially and occupationally, and results in a significantly reduced quality of life.1 Although pharmacotherapy (eg, serotonin reuptake inhibitors) and cognitive behavioral therapy (eg, exposure and response prevention therapy) are effective in a majority of people with OCD, a small percentage (3%–5%) of people with OCD report no benefit from available treatments and remain impaired.2

Neurosurgery, particularly deep brain stimulation (DBS), has been used for decades in …