At 02:15 PM 5/21/98 , Debbie Bell wrote:
>I would love to hear anything anyone knows about the
>experimental-in-the-USA surgery called subthalamic stimulator implant (or
>something like that.)
Debbie, several weeks ago, at a symposium in Fort Worth, Dr. Gary Heit of
Stanford discussed the use of Medtronics' Activa implant with the
sub-thalamic nucleus (STN) as the point of contact rather than the
thalamus. The latter gets rid of tremor, and is expecially useful for
Essential Tremor and for Parkinson's cases that have tremor as the major
problem. The former, the STN, is useful in cases in Parkinson's cases with
a widr variety of symptoms, we are told.
The status of this application for the Activa device is that it is approved
for use in some portions of the world for STN, but inthe United States only
for the Thalamus at this time. They are planning to run trials here in the
United States soon. They expect quick approval - not more than one or two
years - because the activa device is already approved.
STN stimulation has been mentioned a number of times here onthe list; but
until I heard Dr. Heit, I had pretty well dismissed it. Going through my
archives, though, I find is was a major topic at a Kansas City symposium in
May, 1997.
Dr. Heit said that he felt that this was the next real breakthrough in the
field of controlling Parkinson's, specifically before neural implants and
growth factors. This is becaause the testing for STN stimulation has
already been substantially completed, while we are in earlier testing
cycles of these other technologies.
Art
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Arthur Hirsch {} [log in to unmask] {} Lewisville, TX {} 972-434-2377
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Always Remember This: Happiness Is Right, So Choose Happiness
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