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Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
For the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Tremor Disorders

January 31, 2008 at 4:00 PM CST
(22:00 UTC)

From Saint Joseph's Hospital and Marshfield Clinic, Marshfield, WI
Neurological: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for the Treatment of Parkinson's Disease and Tremor Disorders will be the seventh webcast sponsored by Saint Joseph's Hospital and Marshfield Clinic.

During the webcast, Marshfield Clinic physicians on staff at Saint Joseph's Hospital in Marshfield, Wisconsin will discuss the sophisticated treatment options for alleviating tremor disorders. The program will feature a pre-taped DBS procedure and real-time panel discussion and analysis.

The moderator will be Jaime Boero, MD, neurologist. Other panel members will be John Neal, MD, neurosurgeon; and Daniel Sa, MD, neurologist.

Implanting a deep brain stimulator involves precisely placing electrodes within a very small area of the brain called the thalamus that controls movement and muscle function. These electrodes are connected to a battery pack/pulse generator that is controlled through a computer device to modulate those brain areas. When the thalamus is stimulated with mild electrical signals, the tremor is suppressed. Altering brain cell activity in this area can greatly help a patient's function.

Almost identical in size to a heart pacemaker, this device can be turned on and off at will by a patient using a hand-held magnet. The pacemaker is implanted completely inside the body.

The Neurosciences Department at Marshfield Clinic and Saint Joseph's Hospital, Marshfield, includes a team of specialists - neurosurgeons, neurologists and neurophysiologists. The tremor disorders team includes Dr. Neal, who performs the implantation and runs the surgical procedure; Dr. Sa, who selects appropriate patients, and aids in correct placement of electrodes by microelectrode recording; John Ehrfurth, Ph.D., who performs thorough evaluations to predict side effects; and Mahala Earnhart, RN, who coordinates medical care and pacemaker programming.