Recovery of a Patient with Parkinson’s Disease!

This patient initially experienced several symptoms, including muscle weakness and resting tremors, as well as persistent stiffness and rigidity that did not ease with movement. He also had an unstable posture and unsteady gait, resulting in a stooped appearance. As his Parkinson's symptoms worsened, his steps became short and heavy, and he could barely move his arms. After several tests, the patient was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which caused him extreme frustration. He felt like a burden on his family, which impacted his social and professional life. The patient had suffered for more than five years without responding to any treatment. The symptoms progressed over time, causing him to lose his ability to move normally.

Parkinson's disease causes a specific area of the brain, the basal ganglia (a cluster of nerve cells deep within the brain), to deteriorate. As this area deteriorates, the abilities once controlled by these areas are lost. Parkinson's disease also causes a significant change in brain chemistry, causing a shortage of dopamine. Dopamine is essential for muscle movement, so its deficiency leads to slowed motion and tremors, similar to those the patient experienced. As the disease progressed and drug treatment failed to relieve symptoms, the disease affected how the brain functions, triggering symptoms similar to dementia and depression.

After losing hope, the patient consulted Dr. Zeiad Yossry and the medical team for treatment. After examining him, it was determined that his condition was not responding to drug therapy. Doctors decided to perform deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat his Parkinson's disease. Deep brain stimulation is a neurosurgical procedure that uses implanted electrodes and electrical stimulator to treat movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and other neurological conditions. Preoperative imaging was performed to locate the precise electrode placement.

Dr. Zeiad Yossry and the medical team performed deep brain stimulation surgery without general anesthesia. Several steps were performed in sequence. The first step was inserting the stimulating wires into each side of the brain simultaneously. A surgical targeting device was placed around the entire brain, which facilitated the identification of the electrode placement using brain imaging by CT and MRI scans.

The hypothalamus, a very small area for electrode placement, was then identified. Surgeons mapped a safe path for the electrodes to avoid affecting other areas. Three electrodes were implanted on the right and left sides of the brain. The patient remained awake during this step, and the electrical signals were tested until the tremors stopped completely.

Next, the electrode was placed in its correct and precise location under the thalamus. Finally, the stimulator battery, an electrical generator, was implanted under the skin of the upper chest.

This surgery was extremely delicate, but thanks to advanced surgical techniques, exceptional medical skills, and the precision of Dr. Zeiad Yossry, the patient experienced significant improvement in Parkinson’s symptoms and regained the ability to carry out daily activities with ease.