Landmark DBS surgery conducted on 74-year-old woman

Mumbai, Jul 17 (UNI) For the first time in India, a successful Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery has been performed here on a 74-year-old woman for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

The operation was performed by the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre's Dr Paresh Doshi and his team for the first time in India and only the eighth time in the world.

Speaking to reporters here today, Dr Doshi said the operation was performed on July 9 on Mohini Kapur, a retired High Court judge from Jaipur, who was suffering from Parkinson's Disease that necessitated implantation of a pacemaker (Implantable Pulse Generator) in the sub-Thalamic part of her brain.

What made the operation so remarkable was the fact that the patient was already wearing a pacemaker for her heart, he said. The danger of interference and malfunction of either or both the pacemakers was high.

After a six month research and support by cardiologist specialist Dr Asit Shah, Dr Doshi and his team completed their 6 hrs task without a hitch.

''The area that we operated on her was very small, half the size of a thumbnail and difficult to reach and although we could take a Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) scan, we could not take an Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan because of the pacemaker in her heart.

There was also a real danger of the patient suffering from a coma due to failure of the pacemaker in the brain, or dying due to failure of her heart's pacemaker,'' Dr Doshi said.

''But we knew what we could do and what we could not '' he said.

Less than a week after her operation, Ms Mohini was well enough to meet the press and say ''I think the challenge was rewarding.'' Her sister, Mohita Minocha said the pains on joints, swelling and double-vision suffered by Mohini had been immediately addressed to and that her gait and speech had also improved.

Dr Doshi assured that both the pacemakers had been programmed with adequate safety margins. The pacemaker for Parkinson's Disease has a life of 5-6 years, while the pacemaker for the heart has a life of 8-10 years.

Praising his 74-year-old patient, Dr Doshi said, ''Mohini has been a most cooperative and motivated patient''.

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