Michael J. Fox, Billy Graham and the late Muhammad Ali - all three celebrities raised public awareness of Parkinson’s disease, a progressive movement disorder for which there is no cure.
Over the past few years, one new option has made surgery possible for a growing number of patients.
Five years ago Tony Spitzer was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
He told Ivanhoe, “It was a tremor. Pretty much the way Michael J. Fox also started. I think he had it in his pinky.”
His disease progressed, and medication couldn’t stop the tremors. Finally, Tony’s doctor agreed with him that deep brain stimulation, or DBS, would be his next step. With DBS, doctors insert wires to stimulate the portion of the brain impacted by Parkinson’s. The wires are connected to a battery pack, like a pacemaker. Traditionally, patients had to be awake during the surgery so doctors could ensure they were in the precise spot. For some, being awake was a deal-breaker.
Tony’s wife, Glenda Spitzer, said, “I mean I just think … scary as all hell!”
Now, neurosurgeons have another option. Using MRI guidance they can insert the electrodes in real time while the patient is under anesthesia.
Hooman Azmi, MD, Neurosurgeon at the New Jersey Brain and Spine Center says, “If there’s any changes in the brain structure, if there’s a little bit of shift in the brain during surgery these are things we actively see.”
Soon after Tony’s surgery, both he and his wife noticed the difference.
Glenda told Ivanhoe, “It is amazing. I could see him. Tony would be tremoring, and then stop.”
“It’s controllable. And it makes me feel 100 percent better,” Tony said.
Doctor Azmi says the MRI guided procedure is a good option for patients who are too anxious to be awake during the procedure, those who cannot have their medication withheld, and those who would have trouble communicating during surgery.
Video:
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