Best Treatment Plan for Parkinson’s Disease: A Collaborative Approach Between Neurology and Neurosurgery

In foreign countries, neurologists often recommend referring Parkinson’s disease patients for specialized treatment, where close collaboration between internal medicine and surgery ensures patients receive the most appropriate treatment at the optimal time. Parkinson’s disease is a progressive condition, meaning both medication and surgical interventions are symptomatic treatments. Therefore, it’s unwise to either undergo surgery too early or delay it unnecessarily. Age and the progression of the disease are critical factors in determining whether to pursue medication or surgery. Younger patients tend to experience more significant quality of life improvements and better control of rigidity symptoms, with slower progression of axial symptoms and fewer cognitive complications. When the disease has lasted for five or more years, particularly when there is a marked decline in the efficacy of medication or the appearance of severe motor fluctuations or dyskinesia, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, or “brain pacemaker” implantation, is considered the best option.

According to the 2012 “Expert Consensus on Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease in China,” patients diagnosed with primary Parkinson’s disease, primarily presenting with tremors, who do not respond well to standard medication treatment and whose tremors significantly affect their quality of life, may opt for early surgery after thorough evaluation. This can be considered even for those with a disease progression of more than three years.

In recent years, more patients have benefited from the combined efforts of neurology and neurosurgery through DBS therapy. To date, over 6,000 patients in China have experienced life-changing results with Medtronic’s brain pacemaker therapy. Experts emphasize that selecting a safe, effective, and high-quality product, along with ensuring appropriate surgical procedures and post-operative programming, are essential for the successful treatment of patients.

Furthermore, since Parkinson’s disease is a progressively degenerative neurological disorder that affects the entire brain, a comprehensive treatment approach—including medication, surgery, and physical rehabilitation—is essential to ensure the maximum benefit for patients.

Deep Brain Stimulation: The Only Safe and Effective Surgical Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic neurological disorder that is one of the leading health threats to the elderly, often referred to as a “silent killer.” In China alone, over two million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease, representing nearly half of the global population. The incidence rate is 1% among those over 55 years old, and it increases to 1.7% for individuals aged 65 and older. With an aging population, Parkinson’s disease not only causes long-term physical and psychological suffering for patients but also imposes a growing burden on families and society. However, due to limitations in knowledge and economic conditions, the overall diagnosis and treatment of this disease in China still lags behind Western countries.

With technological advancements, deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, developed by global medical leader Medtronic, has become the only effective surgical treatment for Parkinson’s disease. This method has a clinical history of over 25 years, and more than 110,000 Parkinson’s patients worldwide have undergone DBS therapy. Over the last decade, more than 6,000 patients in China have undergone DBS surgery and experienced significant improvement in their quality of life.

DBS surgery, commonly known as the “brain pacemaker,” is a milestone in the field of Parkinson’s disease surgical treatment. It effectively alleviates the four main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease by implanting electrodes in the brain to send electrical pulses to the motor control-related neural clusters, regulating abnormal neural activity. This approach reduces and controls Parkinson’s symptoms. DBS therapy is reversible, adjustable, safe, and minimally invasive. It significantly improves symptoms like bradykinesia, dyskinesia, rigidity, and tremors, while also reducing the side effects associated with long-term medication use. Most patients experience substantial improvement in motor symptoms, a boost in quality of life, and even return to work. Caregivers also benefit by being relieved from the heavy burden of care, contributing to increased social value.

In February 2013, the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a multi-center, randomized controlled trial in Europe, the “Early Parkinson’s Disease Deep Brain Stimulation (Earlystim)” study. It showed that early use of DBS in Parkinson’s disease patients resulted in earlier benefits before complications arose, effectively reducing medication side effects, and providing a safer, better treatment outcome.

Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s Tongji Medical College, affiliated with Tongji Hospital, is a leading authority in neurosurgery in central China. Under the leadership of Director Lei Ting, the hospital has established a collaborative model for the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of Parkinson’s disease through DBS surgery. With a well-equipped, skilled team, they have successfully performed numerous DBS surgeries, with excellent results.