YNHH marks milestone in treating Parkinson's Disease & essential tremors
Among those who joined Dr. Gerrard at the celebration were (l-r): patients Richard Gipstein and Gwenn D’Amico, and Amar Patel, MD, assistant professor of neurology at Yale School of Medicine.
Jason Gerrard, MD, PhD, chief of Trauma Neurosurgery, Yale New Haven Hospital (left), hosted an April 5 celebration to mark the 100th YNHH patient to receive a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) implant. The device, called a neurostimulator, is surgically implanted in the brain to help control the types of involuntary, neurological movements – such as shaking – often seen in patients with Parknison’s disease and essential tremors, a nerve disorder. About the size of a stopwatch, the battery-operated DBS device delivers electrical stimulation to targeted brain areas to block abnormal nerve signals. DBS is appropriate for patients whose symptoms cannot be adequately controlled with medications.
