Neurosciences Hospital introduces critical brain pacemaker implant operations
The National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, a specialised government hospital in the capital's Agargaon, has introduced pacemaker implant operations in human brains, jointly with an expert team hired from India and led by Dr Anirban Deep Banerjee.
At 11.30 am on Saturday, the physicians started the critical surgery on two Parkinson's patients and it was continuing till the filing of this report in the evening. The operations were scheduled to continue till 10 pm.
"We are performing deep brain stimulation on two Parkinson's patients today. Two more patients will receive the treatment tomorrow [Sunday]," Dr MS Jahirul Hoque Chowdhury, member of the operation team, told The Business Standard.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
"Many of us know about artificial cardiac pacemaker placing operations. The pacemaker in the brain is implanted similarly," he, also a professor at the institute, added.
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical procedure that uses implanted electrodes and electrical stimulation to treat movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia and other neurological conditions.
Doctors may use DBS for movement disorders or neuropsychiatric conditions when medications have become less effective or if their side effects interfere with a person's daily activities.
MS Jahirul Hoque Chowdhury explained Parkinson's disease is a brain disorder that leads to shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with walking, balance, and coordination.
"The disease is not completely curable, yet it can be managed moderately with medicines. However, in cases of taking medicine for long, some patients lose drug response. So, deep brain stimulation operation is a good option for them," he said, adding that with the surgery, the patients were expected to return to normal lives.
Professor Badrul Alam, joint director at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, said deep brain stimulation is a high-cost operation. For example, it costs around Tk20-25 lakh in India.
"However, we are operating at a nominal cost, with the government arrangement," he told TBS.
"We will continue the operations if we get success in today's [Saturday] cases," he added.
