IMS, SUM Hospital conducts first Deep Brain Stimulation surgery

Bhubaneswar: In a groundbreaking achievement, the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital has successfully conducted Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat Parkinson's Disease in a 36-year-old patient.

The Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital has become the first hospital in Odisha to successfully perform Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery to treat Parkinson's Disease.

Regarded as an advanced and powerful surgical therapy for certain aspects of Parkinson’s Disease (PD), DBS primarily addresses movement-related symptoms and also improves some non-motor symptoms, including sleep disturbances and pain, said Prof. (Dr.) Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, one of the country’s eminent neurosurgeons and SOA’s Principal Advisor (Health Sciences).

According to a UNI report, although DBS does not cure the disease or stop its progression, it significantly improves the quality of life for patients with advanced PD, Dr. Mahapatra told reporters.

He added that DBS is a relatively safe procedure, during which the patient remains awake for most of the surgery.

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“Earlier, this condition was treated only with medication, but now it can also be managed through surgery,” Dr. Mahapatra stated.

The pioneering surgery was recently performed on a 36-year-old woman suffering from PD at the hospital.

Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintendent, stated that this was the first time such a surgery had been conducted in Odisha, specifically at IMS and SUM Hospital, reports UNI.

The patient is recovering well following the surgery, he added.

Prof. (Dr.) Lulup Kumar Sahoo, Professor in the Neuromedicine Department who treated the patient, explained that medication often helps patients feel better in the initial four to five years of the disease. However, after that period, medication alone is not as effective for PD patients.

Parkinson’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement, causing the body to slow down. It occurs due to the loss of brain cells responsible for dopamine production.

The condition commonly affects elderly individuals above the age of 60, said Prof. (Dr.) Panigrahi.

Prof. (Dr.) Sahoo noted that PD is now increasingly being diagnosed in younger individuals. While the exact cause is often unknown, some young patients develop the disease due to genetic factors.

The disease is characterized by movement-related symptoms such as slowness in walking, difficulty writing, a weakened voice, tremors in the hands and legs, stiffness in body parts, and, in some cases, postural imbalance.

Additionally, PD is associated with various non-motor symptoms, including constipation, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety, he added.

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