Movement Disorders Center

Description

Movement Disorders Center

Parkinson; It is a chronic neurological disease that occurs with the deficiency of a
substance called ‘dopamine’ in the brain. This disease, which occurs as a
result of the decrease or damage of the cells that secrete dopamine in the
brain with the advancement of age, causes movement disorders and involuntary
movements. Illness; It occurs with tremors in the hands and feet,
slow movement, stiffness in the muscles and difficulty walking.

How is Parkinson’s Diagnosed?

Parkinson’s disease is diagnosed with clinical
findings. Especially in elderly patients; Being more prominent on one
side of the body, the face state that can be expressed as’ mask face ‘with’
money-counting tremor in the hands, slowdown in movements, non-participation of
the arms to the body sway and walking adhering to the body, dullness of eyes
and decrease in facial expressions, with small steps and Leaning forward
walking suggests that this disease may be in the initial stage. In these
cases, the person should consult a neurologist.

Who Is It More Common?

Parkinson; It is an advanced age disease
and the average incidence is between the ages of 62-65. The incidence and
symptoms of the disease also increase relatively with age. Depending on
the age of onset of the disease; The younger the symptoms appear, the less
dopamine production decreases gradually over the years, and the disease may
progress slightly faster in relatively younger patients. Unfortunately,
there is no detailed study showing the number of Parkinson’s patients in our
country. It is estimated that there are only around 120,000 Parkinson’s
patients.

What are the Social Problems Experienced by Parkinson’s Patients?

Parkinson’s disease, which slows down the
movements, prevents people from carrying out their work first and then their
daily activities in a healthy way. Therefore, patients; In the first
and middle stages of the disease, they break away from their work and social
life, and in the advanced stages, they have to continue their lives with help
from others. These problems can cause patients who already suffer from
slow motion and tremors to be negatively affected by their morale and most of
them become withdrawn or depressed.

How is the Surgery Performed?

Our aim in the method called ‘Microelectrode
Recording and Stimulation Technique’ in which we can listen to the electrical
activity of a single cell in the brain; to locate the cells responsible
for the disease and the surrounding anatomical formations. For this, we do
the surgery by talking to the patient, keeping the patient awake. In this
way, it becomes easier for us to reach the problematic area by measuring the
patient’s reactions. In the first 2-3 hours of the surgery, the patient is
awake and we mutually help. ‘Microelectrode Recording and Stimulation
Technique’ brings us to our goal. Thanks to this process, we find the
location of the cells responsible for the disease and the anatomical formations
around it with less than eighty microns of error in the brain, and we place the
brain pacemaker electrodes at the right spot without any margin of error.

How is the Brain Battery Method Applied?

In brain pacemaker surgeries, we place two
electrodes in the areas detected in the brain. A battery such as a
pacemaker is placed under the skin in the chest, and the extension connections
and electrodes are connected to the battery. This is not visible from the
outside because the system is completely shut down. There is only a
swelling under the skin on the chest and this can be felt. Then, we adjust
the frequencies and warning parameters that will be good for the patient
through the computer. In the 2-3 weeks after surgery, patients come and go
frequently. After we make the appropriate optimum settings, our patient
returns to his normal life.

What kind of a change does the brain battery bring in the lives of patients?

After the surgery, patients recover dramatically
and can return to their normal lives. In other words, we can connect our
patients back to life with a brain pacemaker. Brain pacemaker gives
successful results in Parkinson’s patients who do not respond adequately to
drug treatment, have severe tremor attacks or who cannot benefit from the drug
as before due to severe side effects. However, it is very important to
choose the right patient who is suitable for the operation and who will benefit
from the operation. Thus, patients who cannot even hold their forks,
cannot thread the needle, or write, can return to their old healthy days after
the necessary battery adjustments are made after the surgery.

Battery Takes Back Time

Patients with Parkinson’s return to the state
they were in the first years of the disease after implantation and continue
their normal lives where they left off. In other words, the brain
pacemaker takes back time. The patient, who cannot even hold a spoon
before going into the surgery, regains his freedom after the
operation. Patients who cannot tie their shoes, fasten their shirts,
cannot live without help, and who are disconnected from social life find the
chance to live independently again, to regain their social life, and even to do
their old jobs again after a brain battery.