IF YOU SUFFER FROM PARKINSON’S DISEASE, YOU KNOW ALL TOO WELL HOW THE DISEASE DISRUPTS YOUR LIFE

IF YOU SUFFER FROM PARKINSON’S DISEASE, YOU KNOW ALL TOO WELL HOW THE DISEASE DISRUPTS YOUR LIFE.

Losing the ability to perform simple, everyday tasks not only limits your independence but can also strain relationships and even affect your job performance. And the increasing side effects of medication can sometimes make you feel even worse. Luckily, medication isn’t your only treatment option. At Boston Scientific, we offer a unique, personalized therapy that can help you feel like you did when you first started medication. It’s called Deep Brain Stimulation, or simply DBS.

    DBS is similar to a cardiac pacemaker... but for the brain. Thousands of patients have benefited from DBS over the last twenty years.1 A well-established, safe, surgical procedure places a small, thin device called a stimulator just under the skin in the chest, sending electrical signals via one or two thin, insulated wires to the brain. It’s designed to help control motor symptoms and can reduce the need for medications that can have unwanted side effects.2

    What to consider when selecting a DBS system: Parkinson’s disease is progressive. Even with DBS, it will continue to advance and change. The Boston Scientific Vercise Genus™ DBS Systems deliver very precise amounts of current to very specific areas of the brain. These new DBS systems feature electrical current steering technology, which gives doctors an incredibly sensitive and precise “steering wheel” to deliver the optimum electrical signal to meet their patients’ changing PD needs. Boston Scientific also offers both rechargeable and non-rechargeable stimulators that are Bluetooth™-enabled to connect wirelessly to your remote control. The stimulators are designed to be thin and lightweight with smooth, gently rounded edges. This improves comfort and helps conceal signs of the implant.

    Now that you know what DBS is, you might be wondering, “Is DBS right for me?” Research shows that the optimal time to get DBS is when your medications are just starting to become less effective, but before they no longer work. You’ll notice that your medication doesn’t work until the end of the dose, if you have to start taking medication more often, or if your medication begins to cause increased dyskinesia (involuntary muscle movements). The sooner you talk to your doctor, the sooner you’ll be able to receive the benefits of DBS therapy.

    For patient Suzanne Friedman, one of the greatest gifts DBS has given her is consistency. “Life before DBS was a struggle. I was suffering every day. Now, I don’t have to worry about whether my medicine works, whether it’s not going to work, when I have to eat when the next medicine’s due. I’m sleeping better, not napping every day, being able to stay up late. Everybody keeps telling me that I seem happy and that they see me smiling more.”

    To see a video and to gain more information about the Boston Scientific Deep Brain Stimulation Systems visit them In the Wellness Village at ParkinsonsResource.org/the-wellness-village/directory/boston-scientific/ where they have been members since April 2019.

Gardner J. A history of deep brain stimulation: Technological innovation and the role of clinical assessment tools. Soc Stud Sci. 2013;43(5):707-728. doi:10.1177/0306312713483678.

Vitek JL, et al. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation with a multiple independent constant current-controlled device in Parkinson’s disease (INTREPID): a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study. The Lancet Neurology. 2020;19(6):491-501.

Results from case studies are not necessarily predictive of results in other cases. Results in other cases may vary..