Parkinson’s patients live better lives after surgery, says study

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has showed that Parkinson’s patients undergoing Deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery at an early stage have a significantly better quality of life as compared to people who take only medicines to manage the symptoms of the disease.

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has showed that Parkinson’s patients undergoing deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery at an early stage have a significantly better quality of life as compared to people who take only medicines to manage the symptoms of the disease.

In the DBS procedure, a surgeon implants a battery-operated medical device in the brain to deliver electrical stimulation to target areas in the brain that control movement, blocking the abnormal nerve signals that cause tremors in Parkinson’s patients.

Businessman Kanti Haria, 60, underwent the surgery at Jaslok Hospital, Peddar road in 2005 after medications to manage the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease did not work for him. Haria claims that the surgery changed his life, and he now goes abroad often and conducts business, apart from leading an active social life.

Typically, a person suffering from Parkinson’s is medically managed for 10-11 years before undergoing a DBS surgery.

In DBS, the surgeon implants a battery-operated medical device called a neurostimulator, similar to a heart pacemaker in the brain to deliver electrical stimulation to targeted areas in the brain that control movement.

“This is the first trial which looked at quality of life rather than just improvement of disability. We normally conduct DBS after a person has already lost his social life and job. This is a new way of looking at the disease,” said Dr Paresh Doshi, consulting neurosurgeon, Jaslok Hospital, Peddar road.