New medical device helps patients with movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy

Based on current evidence that deep brain stimulation (DBS) devices are effective for managing movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions, Baptist Health worked with Medtronic to pioneer an innovative medical device aimed at improving quality of life for patients with severe neurologic disorders and personalizing their treatment. In a new procedure, Bradley Wallace, MD, PhD, a neurosurgeon with Lyerly Neurosurgery at Baptist Health, will treat patients with the Percept™ PC Neurostimulator with BrainSense™ Technology, the first and only DBS device that allows physicians to sense brain signals for Parkinson’s disease. Baptist Health is the first hospital system in northeast Florida to offer this procedure.

Once surgically implanted, the Percept neurostimulator captures and records electrical signals present in the patient’s brain. Physicians can then correlate any variation in brain signals with patient experiences such as normal daily activities or medication intake, helping neurologists shape treatments based on real-time data.

The new device is FDA approved for patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, obsessive-compulsive disorder, epilepsy and other neurological disorders. Data collected from the neurostimulator helps physicians adjust therapies to the individual needs of each patient and may support the process eventually becoming automated.

“In the future, we’re looking to make the device dynamic,” Medtronic Brain Modulation Senior Engineer Steve Goetz said. “We’re looking to learn how to change brain simulation patterns for the benefit of the patient while still allowing them to carry out daily functions.”

Dr. Wallace is an early adopter of the technology and surgically implanted the device into the brains of two Parkinson’s disease patients and one essential tremor patient using the Mazor Robotics Renaissance® system in late July. Zhigao Huang, MD, PhD, neurologist with Baptist Neurology Group, will follow the patient post-operatively to help with recovery and symptom management.

The Mazor robot helps Dr. Wallace precisely implant electrodes and connect the device in a minimally invasive surgery. Directions from the device inform the neurosurgeon how to install the neurotransmitter in the body and brain without the need for a halo brace to stabilize the spine. Baptist Health is the only hospital system in northern Florida to implement this technology in surgical procedures.

“Unlike other DBS neurostimulators, this device allows more personalized and data-driven neurostimulation treatment,” Dr. Wallace said. “It is a promising clinical advancement that could help patients with neurological conditions lead fuller lives.”

To learn more about surgical treatment for neurological disorders, including deep brain stimulation, visit Lyerly Neurosurgery’s Movement Disorders page.