The Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow, has become the second government institute of the country to successfully conduct deep brain stimulation surgery to reduce symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in a patient. Before this, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has conducted this operation.
The department of neurology and neurosurgery, SGPGIMS, conducted the 10-hour complex procedure on a 64-year-old patient on Sunday. The surgery was performed under the expert guidance of Dr Milind Debgaonkar from the United States of America.
Doctors at SGPGIMS said that the patient, a resident of Lucknow, was recovering fast. “The patient was unable to even pick up the toothbrush due to constant tremors. He couldn’t even stand properly. Now, many needy patients can get treated in Lucknow at affordable prices,” said Padma Shri Dr Sunil Pradhan, head, department of neurology, SGPGIMS.
Addressing the media after the surgery, Dr Pradhan said, “Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgery to implant a device that sends electrical signals to brain areas which are responsible for body movement.”
Neurosurgeon Dr Sanjay Behari explained, “The electrodes are placed deep in the brain and are connected to a stimulator. Similar to a pacemaker, a neurostimulator uses electric pulses to regulate brain activity. This transmitter is placed inside the body. It has two types of batteries -- one is rechargeable and works for 25 years, while the other is one-time chargeable with a shelf life of three years.”
{{/usCountry}}Neurosurgeon Dr Sanjay Behari explained, “The electrodes are placed deep in the brain and are connected to a stimulator. Similar to a pacemaker, a neurostimulator uses electric pulses to regulate brain activity. This transmitter is placed inside the body. It has two types of batteries -- one is rechargeable and works for 25 years, while the other is one-time chargeable with a shelf life of three years.”
{{/usCountry}}He said this surgery reduce symptoms such as tremors, slowness, stiffness and walking problems caused by Parkinson’s disease along with reducing the need for medication and improving one’s quality of life.
Surgeon Arun Srivastava said that DBS did not damage brain tissues. “So, if a better treatment option is available in future, the DBS procedure can be reversed,” he said.
Dr Milind Debgaonkar explained further, “Depending on the symptoms, electrodes are placed in a specific area of the brain through small holes made at the top of the skull. The electrodes are connected by long wires that travel under the skin and down the neck to a battery-powered pacemaker under the skin of the chest. When turned on, the stimulator sends electrical pulses to block the faulty nerve signals causing tremors, rigidity and other symptoms.The neurostimulator is placed under the skin of the chest, below the collarbone, or in the abdomen.”
Apart from these doctors, Dr Pawan, Dr Ved Prakash, Dr KK Das, Dr Ruchika Tandon, anaesthesia expert Dr Devendra Gupta and Dr Atul Sonkar of transfusion medicine were a part of the team that conducted the procedure.