Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor are neurodegenerative diseases. These diseases involve degeneration of the centers that control movements. The aim of surgical treatment is to reduce the complaints of the patients and to stop the medications they are taking by installing batteries in the areas of the brain with impaired function.

Symptoms

The first symptoms of the diseases may include movement difficulties or involuntary movements in different parts of the body, tremors, difficulty walking, stiffness, speech disorders and difficulty swallowing. These diseases are usually kept under control with medication prescribed by a neurologist. Sometimes patients may become unresponsive to medication. When patients do not respond to medical treatment, surgical treatment can be applied.

Surgical treatment

Surgery can be performed to stimulate the centers by attaching electrodes to certain centers in the brain that are impaired. Before the surgery begins, magnetic resonance imaging is performed by attaching a frame to the patient’s head and the points where the battery will be implanted are planned. Afterwards, small incisions are made in the head and small holes are made in the skull. Electrodes are inserted through these small holes to the planned points. During the surgery, patients are examined by a neurologist to confirm the most suitable brain area. Then these electrodes are connected to the battery of the “deep brain stimulation” and it is placed under the skin in the chest. After the surgery, the patients are treated and followed up by adjusting the settings of the battery through examination. When the battery runs out of power in 4-7 years, it is replaced with another battery with a short surgery, without changing the electrodes.