In answer to your questions, Margaret, and for others who might be interested: The University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, was the first of 5 medical centers in the U.S. to be granted approval by the FDA to conduct 5 experimental pallidal stimulations. (Order article # 081 from [log in to unmask] for further info). Dr. William Koller of KU Med was the coordinating neurologist, and Dr. Steven Wilkinson was the neuro-surgeon. After each 5 surgeries, the results are evaluated, and KU can then apply for FDA permission to conduct another 5. I believe they just completed the 4th of the second round of 5 yesterday. I believe that one other medical center is now getting started with the program - in Minnesota, perhaps, although I don't remember for sure. The surgeries take about 5 hours, usually. That includes the time the patient is awake on the table while the electrodes are being placed, and then the time under general anesthesia while the wires leading from the electrodes to the chest are internalized (placed under the skin) and the stimulator is implanted. When there are no complications, the patient goes home the next day. Dick was able to go to the grocery store the day after, where we ran into people who knew he had just had brain surgery and were astounded that he was up and walking around. He then had a two-week follow-up with the neurosurgeon, and then 3- and 6-month testing for the purposes of the study. It's amazing, but recovering from brain surgery is nothing at all like recovering from abdominal surgery, for example. The criteria for selecting patients, as I understand it, are: Must no longer be getting good benefit from sinemet and/or other Parkinson's meds, must be in good general health, and must be mentally competent to respond reliably to questions about sensations, visual effects, etc., while awake on the operating table. The neurosurgeon and neurophysiologists (the "brain-mappers") rely on very sophisticated equipment to help locate exactly the right placement in the globus pallidus, but also rely on sensations and visual effects the patient is experiencing, and must be able to trust what the patient tells them. Dick does continue to take PD meds, although he is taking slightly less than before. One thing the surgery does, or aims to do, is control the nasty side effects of sinemet, such as dyskinesia and dystonia, so that if necessary, a patient who had a lot of trouble with side effects could actually increase his dosage. (Dick is out mowing the lawn, and I can't remember his current dosages exactly - I do know the amount he takes of sinemet is really minimal compared to what a lot of people take). I would say again that this surgery is not a cure, but has done a great deal to restore Dick's quality of life. It is also reversible if something better should come along in the future - that was our reason for choosing this over pallidotomy. Feel free to write with any further questions. Dick and Margie Swindler [log in to unmask] Just realized I hadn't completely responded to your question about North Shore Med Center. Dr. David Eidelberg of North Shore is working with KU Med Center (and also, I think, with Columbia Presbyterian in NY, perhaps) to coordinate the testing. I understood that the Italian doctors conduct research both at Columbia Presbyterian and in Italy.