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Hi Udi... I had a unilateral pallidotomy performed on October 24, 1994, by Dr. Gary Heit, of Stanford University, assisted by Dr. Robert Iacono of Loma Linda University, at Loma Linda University Hospital. The results of that surgery, performed upon the left side for the symptoms affecting my right side were outstanding and immediate and continue to this day unchanged whatsoever. Included were benefits to my left (and primary) side which has just begun to show a few tiny signs of PD at the time of the surgery. My left side remained symtpom-free until July of '96 when I was prescribed and took the drug Tegretol for a pinched nerve (not PD-related). Three days on the Tegretol gave me the worst PD symptoms I'd EVER had, tho NOT on the right side which had been treated by the pallidotomy. It took almost 2 months to return to NEARLY the pre-Tegretol state, and now there's a slow, but noticable degeneration on the left side. (DAMMIT!) Please give your Dad my best wishes for continued relief of the PD symptoms. I also suggest that he try to relax, kick-back, and enjoy whatever benefits he may have received from the surgery. There's no way to second-guess the results of the surgery OR the disease, and to permit himself upset will only cause him to feel physically as well as emotionally bad. By the way, the very best pre-surgical advice I had received was from Barb Yacos (who at that time had had her unilateral pall. for one year). When I asked her how good did she feel AFTER the surgery, she commented that I should always try to recall what I felt like BEFORE the surgery. IF I have a bad day now, I have only to picture myself and the misery I went thru prior to Oct. 24, 1994. Nothing I've felt since (excepting the drug-induced discomfort due to the Tegretol experience - and even THAT "only" did it's number on the non-surgical side) has even been close to that for sheer misery. Barb Mallut, [log in to unmask] ---------- From: PARKINSN: Parkinson's Disease - Information Exchange Network on behalf of udi Sent: Saturday, November 16, 1996 6:50 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: Pallidotomy Hello, My name is Udi and I have a question on behalf of my father. My father has had a unilateral pallidotomy, a month ago, by Dr.Laitinen from Sweden. He would like to know: 1.How long after the procedure are there improvements? 2.How long do the improvements (any of them) last after the operation. Before the operation, and a few days afterwards, he has noticed great improvements. However, his state has somewhat deteriorated since then and he greatly fears that the improvements he had witnessed will disappear in a short period of time. For these reasons he would like to hear from people who have had pallidotomy, or know the answers to these questions. Thanks a lot, Udi Ron RADNET Ltd 8 Hanechoshet St. 69710 Tel-Aviv Tel: +972-3-6459570 Fax: +972-3-6480582 E-Mail: [log in to unmask]