Italy adopts advanced surgery for Parkinson’s and other disorders

At the Italian San Camillo Forlanini Hospital, neurosurgeons have begun the first procedures of deep-brain stimulation on patients.

Although the technique has existed for more than 30 years, there are still few public centers in Italy offering this treatment, CE Report quotes ATA.

This treatment is used for patients with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, or severe psychiatric conditions that are resistant to medication therapies.

The procedure involves placing electrodes, just 1 millimeter in size, with extreme precision into small nuclei of gray matter deep within the patient’s brain.

The electrodes, connected to a battery usually placed under the patient’s collarbone, act like a “pacemaker for the brain,” sending impulses that reduce tremors and restore smooth movement.

“It is a great pleasure that we have introduced Parkinson’s disease surgery using deep brain stimulation at this hospital,” emphasizes Riccardo Antonio Ricciuti, who leads the hospital’s neurosurgery team.

Photo: The Washington Post