Functional Neurosurgery

Functional Neurosurgery encompasses a thorough assessment and treatment approach for individuals grappling with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, epilepsy, hemi-facial spasms, medically resistant depression, and specific chronic pain syndromes. While the majority of patients with these conditions can find effective relief through medications, there exists a subset who either do not respond to medication or initially respond but later experience diminishing effectiveness. For individuals falling into the medically refractory category, deep brain stimulation surgery emerges as a viable treatment option.

DIAGNOSIS

Deep brain stimulation procedures involve the implantation of electrodes into specific brain targets, which are then connected to a pacemaker device implanted beneath the collarbone. This setup delivers continuous electrical stimulation to the affected brain areas, leading to an improvement in the symptoms associated with movement disorders.

The vast majority of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery witness a remarkable alleviation of their symptoms and a substantial improvement in their overall quality of life. The success of a deep brain stimulation program hinges on the collaborative efforts of various medical specialties, including neurosurgery, neurology, neuropsychology, radiology, and anesthesiology.