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Hi all, I haven't been keeping up with the entire discussion, so please forgive me if I ask questions that have already been discussed. I'd like to know what the criteria are for DBS surgery generally-- Specifically, I'd like to know whether a person who does not have advanced PD or any dyskenisia can be accepted for DBS, or has had DBS at an earlier stage of PD-- Is there any evidence that it can help a person who is not profoundly affected, and-- Is the criteria any different among the different areas of stimulation? I would be grateful for any information you wish to share. Charlotte Mancuso On Sun, 3 Mar 2002 09:36:05 -0600 P&B Fahr <[log in to unmask]> writes: > Rayilyn, > If you are going to forward the horror stories like Deborah's to > your friends I would also hope you would forward the stories that > are not so "sensational" as well. Any surgical procedure can > have complications, whether it is having a tooth removed or an > appendectomy. DBS normally causes little or no pain. I find it > incredible that Deborah would do it all again --- but then she > was able to witness the benefit first hand and wants to live a > normal life. > > Steve's procedure was merely an few days inconvenience by > comparison. Here is a short form of his story. > > My brother, Steve, was diagnosed with PD at age 44 (the year > before our father died from PD complications at age 78. By age > 49, Steve could walk only occasionally and crawled on his hands > and > knees most of the time before DBS. Had dyskinetia so severe his > clothes would slide off his body while "resting" in an > easy chair. > > He had bilateral STN DBS in April of 1998. > > Three days after DBS he was walking normally with some > freezing --- stims not yet turned on. > > Two weeks after surgery he was driving trucks and tractors and > operating farm machinery. > > Two months after DBS he was up on the roof helping his son > install a new window in their home. > > Steve was the very first patient to have bilateral STN DBS for PD > in Chicago at Rush Medical Center. > > It will be 4 years next month. Steve is still on some > medication. DBS is NOT a cure but Steve can now lead a normal > life with a few limitations. DBS isn't perfect but it beats the > hell out of long term nursing care when you are 53 years old. > > Paul Fahr > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn