Surgical treatment in PD

PD or Parkinson's disease is a progressive and chronic movement disorder, which means that the symptoms continue to grow over a period of time. There are millions from all over the world who are suffering from this ailment; the USA alone has 2 million people who are suffering from Parkinson's disease. The cause of this disease is unknown, and presently, despite so much of development in the domain of medical science, there is no permanent cure for this disease; however, with the help of surgery and proper medications, it is possible to manage the symptoms. 

When it comes to Parkinson's disease, it causes death and malfunction of the neurons, which are an important nerve cell located in the brain. With the help of the medication for Parkinson, these dead cells can be rejuvenated, and the situation can be corrected to a certain extent. In this disease, the neurons in a particular area of the brain known as “Substantia Nigra” are affected. The dying neurons generate Dopamine which is a type of chemical which transmits messages to other sections of the brain which controls the process of coordination and movement. When someone is affected by PD as the situation worsens, the production of Dopamine in the brain keeps decreasing which causes problems for an individual to control his movements normally. 

The Surgical Procedure

DBS or Deep Brain Stimulation is one of the surgical procedures which is used when it comes to treating the symptoms of this disease. The Parkinson's disease surgery is used to address various types of neurological issues which can be caused by PD. Here are some of the symptoms which can be controlled with the help of a surgery. 

• Rigidity in movement

• Stiffness in the body parts

• Tremor

• Problems in walking

• Slowed movement

The surgery is performed to insert electrodes into the specific area of the brain. DBS is considered as a most important therapeutic advancement. But this is not the ultimate solution to cure PD, but it can hold the progress of the disease for some years. The surgery is not advisable for every person, and your doctor suggests it based on your medical condition and the duration of your medication period.

There are certain criteria to undergo the surgery. Patients have to take a minimum of five years of medication to undergo a surgery. Physicians normally don’t encourage people with psychological disorders to undergo this surgery.  The surgery is also not recommended for people in the late stage of PD. 

Usually, the surgery is carried out after giving medications for a certain period of time. For those who are suffering from advanced Parkinson’s disease, both surgery and medications are recommended based on their health condition.