The London Clinic marks a private sector milestone
(L-R) Mr Adnan Shaikh, Dr Audrey Tan, Prof Dipankar Nandi, Mr Erlick Pereira, scrub nurses Rose, Nadia, Rehman
A patient with Parkinson’s disease has successfully undergone The London Clinic’s 100th deep brain stimulation (DBS). This milestone is a first in the UK private hospital sector.
Deep brain stimulation first appeared as a mainstream medical treatment in the 1980s and, since then, has been a developing area of research.
Lead neurogsurgeon Mr Erlick Pereira, who completed the operation nearly six years after he did the first surgery of its kind at the hospital, described DBS as a life-changing treatment for people with severe tremors, Parkinson’s disease and dystonia.
‘With a lot of degenerative diseases, there are no treatments available that can profoundly improve someone’s life immediately. The notion that, with neurosurgery, one’s function and quality of life can improve straight away is very satisfying, and exciting.’
DBS surgery involves implanting electrodes to the affected/damaged parts deep in the brain, which deliver high-frequency electrical current to address the abnormal movement patterns.