Korea University Anam Hospital announced on the 28th that the research team led by Professor Jang Jin-woo of the Department of Neurosurgery treated a patient with dystonia using high-intensity ultrasound surgery. Dystonia is a serious condition characterized by sudden, irregular movements of the face, arms, and legs.
Dystonia usually does not respond to medication, requiring deep brain stimulation surgery. This surgical procedure involves implanting a stimulator deep in the brain to provide electrical impulses for treatment. Patients with refractory dystonia who do not respond to deep brain stimulation have no further alternatives.
The research team performed high-intensity ultrasound surgery on a 69-year-old male patient with dystonia. The patient had undergone deep brain stimulation surgery at a university hospital in the United States but showed no effect. Until now, performing ultrasound surgery on a patient with an existing deep brain stimulator has been considered taboo due to the interference of the metal electrode with ultrasound transmission.
The research team established a prohibited zone to ensure that the ultrasound did not come into contact with the stimulator's metal. At the same time, they calculated the pathway to ensure proper transmission of the ultrasound to the surgical site. As a result, they treated a patient with dystonia with high-intensity ultrasound surgery for the first time in the world without removing the deep brain stimulator.
The patient experienced no side effects after the ultrasound surgery. Professor Jang noted, "We have overcome the limitations of deep brain stimulation surgery," adding, "This may bring hope for patients with refractory conditions to recover their symptoms."