Woman Plays Clarinet During Brain Surgery to Help Surgeons

Denise Bacon, a 65-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease, underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery at King's College Hospital in London to alleviate symptoms of the condition. To help surgeons assess the immediate effect of the procedure on her motor function, Ms. Bacon played the clarinet during the surgery. The surgery involved implanting electrodes in specific areas of her brain to deliver targeted electrical stimulation, and a rechargeable pulse generator battery was implanted in her chest to monitor her brain activity and adjust electrical stimulation as needed.

Key Takeaways:

• Denise Bacon, a 65-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease, underwent DBS surgery at King's College Hospital in London to alleviate symptoms of the condition.
• Ms. Bacon played the clarinet during the surgery to help surgeons assess the immediate effect of the procedure on her motor function.
• The surgery involved implanting electrodes in specific areas of the brain to deliver targeted electrical stimulation.
• A rechargeable pulse generator battery was implanted in Ms. Bacon's chest to monitor her brain activity and adjust electrical stimulation as needed.
• The procedure improved Ms. Bacon's ability to move her right hand and play the clarinet, and she is already experiencing improvements in her walking ability.
• Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, who performed the surgery, stated that DBS is one of the most effective, evidence-based, and long-lasting therapies to control motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, improving tremor, stiffness, and slowness of movement.
• Modern advances in DBS technology allow for personalized therapy to meet the needs of patients, with a positive impact on their quality of life.

Statistics:

• The DBS procedure improved Ms. Bacon's ability to move her right hand by an unspecified amount.
• Ms. Bacon has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease since 2014.
• The surgery lasted four hours.
• The rechargeable pulse generator battery implanted in Ms. Bacon's chest is expected to last up to 20 years.
• Professor Ashkan has stated that DBS improves tremor, stiffness, and slowness of movement in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Sources:

• The Telegraph, "Woman plays clarinet during brain surgery to help surgeons see effects of treatment in real time"
• King's College Hospital, "Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease"
• BBC News, "Woman plays clarinet during brain surgery to help Parkinson's research"
• Professor Keyoumars Ashkan's publication, "Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: A Review of the Literature"