Deep brain stimulation can stop symptoms for Parkinson’s patients – KHOU

Doctors gave KHOU 11 News rare access to a surgery that can stop symptoms like tremors, stiffness and slowness for Parkinson's patients.

Stephanie Whitfield, KHOU 4:28 PM. CDT April 06, 2017

Doctors gaveKHOU11 News rare access to a surgery that can stop symptoms like tremors, stiffness and slowness for Parkinsons patients. (Photo: KHOU)

HOUSTON - Because April is Parkinsons Awareness Month, Memorial Hermann Hospital invited KHOU into one of its operating rooms.

Doctors gave us rare access to a surgery that can stop symptoms like tremors, stiffness and slowness for Parkinsons patients.

The procedure is called deep brain stimulation.

Even though the surgery has been around for years, doctors say only about ten percent of Parkinsons disease patients take advantage of it.

Randy Ducote, 49, started noticing tremors 10 years ago. Hed always been active and coaches his sons football and baseball teams. Thats why he says his diagnosis was devastating.

It got to the point where I didnt want to be around other people. I didnt want to answer the phone. I dont want to say I was depressed, but I wasnt excited to get out of bed like I was a year before. Before I realized what I had, Ducote said.

He decided to try deep brain stimulation.

During the procedure, doctors insert electrodes into the brain while the patient is awake. Electrical stimulation can override the malfunctions in the brain.

This is a very durable treatment that can adapt to your life, for the rest of your life, said Dr. Albert Fenoy, neurosurgeon with Memorial Hermann Mischer Neuroscience Institute and UTHealth. Its adjustable over time, and should last for years and years to come.

Fenoy hopes more patients opt to have the surgery in the future.

It is not a cure. There is no cure, but it is a way to improve patients quality of life, he said.

While it doesnt work for everyone, for Ducote, the results were immediate.

Quality of life just wasnt there anymore. But after the surgery, I noticed my tremors stopped completely. Look at that, no tremors at all, Ducote said.

Deep brain stimulation can be used in other ways, too. Right now, doctors at Memorial Hermann Hospital say theres an ongoing trial testing the procedure on people suffering from depression.

2017 KHOU-TV

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Deep brain stimulation can stop symptoms for Parkinson's patients - KHOU