 |
 |
I apologize for "butting in" on your group; but following the WSJ article, I thought that the following may be useful: Agree, the WSJ article seemed fair and well balanced. However, people should realize that Pallidotomy should be considered an "experimental" procedure-experimental only in the sense that patient selection and outcomes should be studied very carefully in an academic institution and that results and follow-up should be supplied by an independent neurologist who has no vested interest in the procedure. In addition, this is not a procedure that every Tom, Dick and Harry neurosurgeon should be doing. Considerable training is required for proper use of stereotactic techniques and familiarity with microelectrode recording localization techniques in functional neurosurgery is crucial to the sucess and avoidance of complications following pallidotomy. After an article such as the WSJ article and a media feeding frenzy which is likely to result, many of my colleagues may want to get on the bandwagon. It is hoped that they receive the proper training to do these procedures well. Finally, Parkinson's disease is a progressive disease whose course is unaltered by any treatment yetproposed including surgical techniques. Treatment, creates an improvement in the quality of life by freeing a patient from disabling symptoms until the progression of the disease catches up and results in new disabling symptoms. All therapy is palliative, surgery(thalamotomy and Pallidotomy) included- these releave symptoms usually for several years. Neither of these procedures have been shown scientifically to do anything to reverse or halt the progression of the basic disease process. PJ Kelly \--------------------------------------------------------------\ \ Patrick Kelly, MD \ Internet: [log in to unmask] \ \ NYU Medical Center \ Phone: (212)-263-8002 \ \ New York, N Y \ \ \ \ \ \--------------------------------------------------------------\