A LIFE-CHANGING operation on a patient to stop the tremors associated with Parkinson's disease has been successfully performed for the first time in an Irish hospital.
The procedure, known as deep brain stimulation surgery, was carried out on a 60-year-old man at Dublin's Mater Private Hospital on Wednesday.
The surgery took eight hours and was performed by consultant neurosurgeon Gavin Quigley who is based at Beaumont and the Mater Private hospitals. The lead neurosurgeon from the Walton Centre in Liverpool - the largest neurosurgical unit in the UK - was also in attendance, along with a Swiss-based neurophysiologist.
The procedure involved the insertion of electrodes into the part of the brain that controls movement and function.
Wires from these electrodes were inserted under the skin to run to a tiny generator inserted at the collar bone area and operated by a hand-held remote control. When the device was switched on yesterday morning, a day after surgery, the patient who underwent the operation was able to walk around without trembling.
Up to now patients requiring deep brain stimulation surgery have had to travel to the UK or France. It is understood at least 40 Irish patients have to date travelled overseas for the procedure.
Fergus Clancy, chief executive of the hospital, said the first deep brain stimulation operation was funded by the hospital but he hopes to enter discussions with the HSE and private health insurers at some stage about them providing cover for other Irish patients to avail of it. This type of procedure is estimated to cost around £50,000.
"We have now established a deep brain stimulation programme for Ireland and in time would hope that it would be available to all patients based on clinical need rather than ability to pay," Mr Clancy said.
He added that the surgery, which treats the symptoms of Parkinson's (ie tremors) rather than the disease, is recommended by a neurologist on a case-by-case basis. Not all patients with Parkinson's would be suitable for the surgery. A rigorous pre-operative assessment of patients takes place.
Prof Tim Lynch, consultant neurologist at the hospital, said deep brain stimulation was a well-established technique for sufferers of Parkinson's disease, dystonia and chronic pain. "It's a highly effective technique . . . and it's about time we had it in Ireland," he said.
He said he and others had been advocating for public funding for the establishment of the service to no avail.
Correspondence seen by this newspaper indicates some concern was expressed earlier in the year by one neurosurgeon at the Mater Private and by the president of the European Society for Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery about the hospital starting the new service. But Mr Clancy said the concerns of the president of the European society were based on misinformation and a suggestion the hospital did not have the appropriate staffing.
He stressed a multi-disciplinary team was present for the operation and a great deal of planning over two years had gone into it.
"We have a team that is unrivalled in Ireland across neurology, neurosurgery and all of the support services. For that reason [we] are in a position to be the first hospital to launch deep brain stimulation in this country," he said.