Hartford HealthCare recently became the first in Connecticut to offer the latest in Deep Brain Stimulation (DPS) technology. Dr. Patrick Senatus is the medical director of DBS at Hartford HealthCare’s Ayer Neuroscience Institute.
Q: This new technology is the Abbot Infinity DBS system. How does it work?
A: Abbott’s DBS system is the first in the U.S. to feature a directional lead designed to precisely customize therapy that may maximize patient outcomes and reduce side effects. The lead offers eight independent electrode segments where we can precisely steer electrical currents toward structures of the brain that control movement.
Q: What are the benefits of DBS to patients?
A: DBS is a surgical procedure in which wires are connected from the brain to a pacemaker-like battery pack implanted in the chest. DBS is not a cure for movement disorders, but it can dramatically decrease symptoms, restore mobility and improve patients’ quality of life.
Q: How does this compare to previous DBS technology?
A: The technology we’ve used in the past can be limited in that it stimulates an entire contiguous field within the brain including areas we sometimes may not want to stimulate. This can cause unwanted effects such as slurred speech, tingling in the hands, twitching of muscles or double vision. The Abbott DBS system potentially decreases the likelihood of that because we can direct stimulation in a more focused manner.
Also, with the original system the physician was always knee-to-knee with the patient during programming because there was a wire attached.
The new system is more in keeping with modern technology. Patients are more comfortable with it. They can change some of the parameters discretely on their own with the provided iPod Touch device, such as increasing or decreasing voltage or turning the stimulator on or off if need be.
Learn more about Deep Brain Stimulation here, or call 1.855.HHC.HERE (1.855.442.4373).