At 09:54 PM 7/11/96 -0400, you wrote:
>I subscribed briefly to this group earlier this year, and now am re-joining.
>
>My wife, who is 58, has advanced PD (onset was only 6 years ago), such that
her rigidity approaches paralysis.
>It is probably a case of what some call Parkinson's Plus. She is not
ambulatory and requires assistance with
>every physical activity.
>
>I have looked into pallidotomy, but the general feeling was that she would
not be a likely candidate for that
>particular surgery, which would seem to be for the milder cases.
>
The reason many 'pallidotomy programs' exclude those who are not 'shakers'
is due to lack of experience and confidence in their skills. Neighborhood
type startup programs have higher complication rates than established
centers that have performed hundreds of pallidotomies. Successful programs
combine science, skill and ART. The art is provided by the neurosurgical
team performing the same procedure many times rather than trying to be a
'jack of all trades' team.
Dr. Iacono has performed several 'quiet pall' pallidotomies. In most cases
after his evaluation, he will tell you the chances of 'improvement' based on
experience rather than hypothesis.
John Cottingham To search the Parkinsn archive, send search requests
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