Possible Cure For Parkinsons In Sight.

I watched a documentary about 3 years ago on DBS (Deep brain surgery) for this condition.

It was fascinating but has huge risks.

It was done on a Journalist from over here (can't remember his name now). He had it very bad.

He first of all went to France to have this done. It's about an 8 hour surgery.

Because of the electrodes having to be placed right by the part of the brain that controls speech, the patient HAS to be awake for half of the operation. This is because the surgeon has to know that he/she is still able to talk, at the time of the insertion of the electrodes, so the surgeon keeps the patient talking until that part of the surgery is done. One very tiny mill the wrong way and the patient's speech can be stopped and is irreversable.

It is a massive risk as I said and they don't do this operation as 'routine', because of the dangers involved. It is used for other medical conditions if they are at the worst of cases, such as Tourette syndrome.

About a week after the operation I think it was, he had a small device inserted into the upper chest, which connected with the electrodes to the brain and set at a certain pace determined by another machine. This then stops those movements caused by this condition. Same thing with TS too - it stops the tics (the movement tics) from happening.

Was extremely interesting, it was fascinating. I usually watch those kind of documentaries for the insight.
 
Yeah, ^ I saw that on errr. Richard and Judy (for our American visitors, that's a really cool show in England... :( )

He turned this thing off and was all over the place, fascinating the human anatomy. Did I read somewhere that Michael J. Fox had the op for it? Either ways, it's a marvel of a new technology.
 
Sparkey Duck said:
Yeah, ^ I saw that on errr. Richard and Judy (for our American visitors, that's a really cool show in England... :( )

He turned this thing off and was all over the place, fascinating the human anatomy. Did I read somewhere that Michael J. Fox had the op for it? Either ways, it's a marvel of a new technology.
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Ah right - no I didn't see it on R & J, this was an actual documentary on one of the other channels, shown around 9pm, or maybe it was shown on Ch 4, not sure now, but they would have been interviewing the presenter of that docu I watched, I think - am I right? There have been a few things about DBS over the last few years.

I had heard something about that with Michael J Fox too now you mention it, but wasn't sure because I didn't hear anything else about it.

The docu I watched, they showed the op and everything - however, I had to turn away for the majority of the op that was shown, am too squeamish.

Channels 4 & 5 used to do a long run of documentaries on all kinds of medical conditions - wish they would do it again.

There is the odd one on lately, but not a regular thing, unfortunately. Maybe they will soon?
 
That's outstanding news!! One of the regulars on the local pub circuit had that and it was really bad to watch him get worse and worse! He died a few years ago, but if they can stop others suffering like he had to that'd be ace!!
 
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