Surgery for Parkinson's Disease

Physicians at the Medical College of Wisconsin are performing a surgery at Froedtert Hospital that is proving very successful in helping patients with Parkinson's disease live better lives.

Since he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease nine years ago, 83-year-old George Konop's tremors and rigidity were getting worse, despite medication. But new brain surgery procedures have made his life a lot easier.

The surgery involved burning a tiny hole on the left side of Konop's brain to reduce the Parkinson's symptoms. Wade Mueller, MD, associate professor of neurosurgery, and his team had to fix the exact spot for the best results. In the past, the precise location has been very difficult to determine. With the new procedures, there are three ways to assure the most accurate placement of the surgery.

"We take CAT scans with a probe in place," Dr. Mueller said. "We do electrical stimulation to see how it affects his symptoms, and then we do microelectronic recording to see if we get a characteristic picture of when we're in the right part of the globus pallidus." Overactivity of the globus pallidus can lead to excessive rigidity, slowing and tremors.

Throughout the procedure, Konop was awake so he could demonstrate his body's response. After an inch-round piece was removed from his scalp and skull, a guidance ring to guide the instrument used in the procedure was fixed on his head. He was then taken to another room where the three-part procedure began.

"We move the electrode in or out of an area of the brain, looking for a specific pattern of cell firing, which tells us we're in the right location," said L. Cass Terry, MD, PhD, PharmD, chair and professor of neurology. "With the CAT scan guidance and electro recording, we know exactly if we're in the right cell group and the right location. Before, we didn't have the technology to do that."

After finding the exact spot, several lesions or burns were made inside the brain. The results were almost immediate. Konop's tremor is now nearly gone and his muscle tone is much more relaxed. Recovery is usually quicker than with regular surgery. Additional improvement in his symptoms may also occur.

While the procedure doesn't cure the Parkinson's, it should make life better for patients and their families. For more information or to set up an appointment, please call 414-454-5204.

MCW Health News presents up-to-date information on patient care and medical research by the physicians of the Medical College of Wisconsin.