Deep Brain Stimulation Brings Tahira's Life Back After Parkinson's
Suffering from a Parkinson’s disease movement disability, Tahira was in a wheelchair and unable to perform day-to-day activities, participate in family activities, work or drive.
“The most common advanced treatment for Parkinson's is deep brain stimulation or DBS,” said Christopher DeMassi, MD, chief, Memorial Neuroscience Institute. “Seeing her situation, I thought she was an excellent candidate for it.”
At Memorial, the procedure is much different than traditional DBS surgery, where the patient lies awake uncomfortably, often for up to six or eight hours.
“Here, surgery lasts maybe one hour,” said DeMassi. “The patient is asleep for the entire surgery, so they're very comfortable while we use advanced robotic assisted technology to very precisely place an electrode stimulator deep in the patient’s brain.”
“It's like a miracle,” said Tahira. “They gave me my life back. I can move around, walk, shop, and now, I can drive. Imagine that!”
“The most common advanced treatment for Parkinson's is deep brain stimulation or DBS,” said Christopher DeMassi, MD, chief, Memorial Neuroscience Institute. “Seeing her situation, I thought she was an excellent candidate for it.”
At Memorial, the procedure is much different than traditional DBS surgery, where the patient lies awake uncomfortably, often for up to six or eight hours.
“Here, surgery lasts maybe one hour,” said DeMassi. “The patient is asleep for the entire surgery, so they're very comfortable while we use advanced robotic assisted technology to very precisely place an electrode stimulator deep in the patient’s brain.”
“It's like a miracle,” said Tahira. “They gave me my life back. I can move around, walk, shop, and now, I can drive. Imagine that!”
