A report in a British newspaper, entitled "Parkinson's pair Walk Again", describes two women who have been given a new treatment. Both have had an operation to fit tubes through which, levodopa is pumped directly into the BOWEL!!! Both were wheelchair bound, and both are now walking normally.
The tube is connected to a pump, worn on the waist, that supplies a steady stream of levodopa through the day.The system, made by a Belgian firm, costs $52,000 per year!! The article states the system is only suitable for those who have not responded to other treatments. It is estimated that about 1,000 people with PD in the UK could benefit from the treatment.
The levodopa bypasses the stomach. I am no medic, and I don't understand how it gets to the brain. Any ideas??
Ron