About the Treatment Method
Surgical Process and Pacemaker Management
During the most critical stage of brain pacemaker surgeries (while the electrodes are being placed), the patient is awake. While advancing the electrodes millimetrically, the surgeon chats with the patient and asks them to move their hand. That "golden spot" where the patient's tremor stops with the applied electrical current is instantly detected, and the electrode is fixed there.
A brain pacemaker is not a treatment that completely stops or destroys the disease (cell death). However, by largely eliminating the patient's complaints such as tremor, contraction, and freezing, it restores the patient to their former quality of life, making them independent, able to eat their own food, and walk again.
Yes, this is one of its biggest benefits. After a successful pacemaker surgery, the doses of heavy Parkinson's drugs that patients use daily are significantly reduced, so they also get rid of the involuntary movement (dyskinesia) side effects caused by the drugs.
It varies depending on the device used. The lifespan of standard non-rechargeable batteries is between 3 to 5 years on average. The lifespan of rechargeable (smart) batteries can go up to 15-20 years. When the battery runs out, only the battery under the chest is replaced with a simple local procedure without touching the cables in the brain.
The information on this page is for general health advice. Please consult specialized physicians for personalized treatment or advice.
