Dr. Gilbert Hosts: DBS, Focused Ultrasound & Stereotactic Radiotherapy for PD
Treatment options for Parkinson’s disease (PD) vary from person to person and often change as the disease progresses. Although prescription medications remain a cornerstone of care, several procedures may also be considered as part of a treatment plan. Deep brain stimulation (DBS), focused ultrasound (FUS), and stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) can help manage certain PD symptoms. While each may offer meaningful benefits, none is right for everyone. Register today to hear three leading experts discuss these procedures.
Join us and you’ll learn:
- What DBS, FUS and SRT are, and how they work
- If you should consider these procedures for yourself – and if so, which one(s)
- Which symptoms of PD do they and don’t they treat
- How to find out if these treatments are offered in your area
- And much more!
3:30 Dr. Brian Dalm’s presentation on DBS
12:06 Dr. Andres Lozano’s presentation on FUS
19:38 Dr. Evan Thomas’ presentation on Stereotactic radiotherapy
Q+A
36:53 The pallidothalamic tract (PTT) is a new target for Focused ultrasound. This is meant to help the slowness and stiffness of PD. Does it also help tremor?
37:52 Does FUS of the new target PTT, lead to improvement in midline symptoms of PD such as walking?
38:51 What is the future of choosing FUS vs DBS? Are practitioners becoming more favorable towards FUS?
43:38: If you’ve had focused ultrasound or stereotactic radiosurgery and now you want DBS, is that a possibility?
47:07 What if you have a cardiac pacemaker – is that a contraindication to these procedures?
47:38 What is the best option for somebody with claustrophobia?
49:39 At what point in the disease trajectory should you be considering one of these procedures?
53:01 Do these procedures help symptoms such as freezing of gait and speech?
55:29 How do you find a center that performs focused ultrasound?
ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS
Dr. Brian Dalm
Dr. Brian Dalm is a neurosurgeon specializing in neuromodulation. He received his medical training at Loyola University and completed his neurosurgery residency and functional neurosurgery fellowship at the University of Iowa. Prior to joining The Ohio State University, he was the director of the pain and functional program at Houston Methodist. Dr. Dalm’s research focuses on using neuroimaging techniques to better identify and predict patients who may benefit from neuromodulation therapy earlier in their treatment.
Dr. Andres Lozano
Dr. Andres Lozano is the past Chairman of the Division of Neurosurgery at the University of Toronto where he held the Dan Family Chair in Neurosurgery. He currently holds the Alan & Susan Hudson Cornerstone Chair in Neurosurgery at Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network. He obtained his MD degree from the University of Ottawa and his PhD in Neurobiology and neurosurgical training from McGill University. He received postdoctoral training in movement disorders at Queen Square, London, UK and in cell and molecular biology in Toronto. He was appointed to the University of Toronto in 1991, and in 1999 he became the youngest individual to be appointed Full Professor in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Lozano has an active laboratory dedicated to the study of neurodegeneration and functional neurosurgery and is a world expert on the topic, pioneering new applications for deep brain stimulation as well as conducting large multicenter DBS trials.
Dr. Evan Thomas
Dr. Evan Thomas is the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Renaissance Institute of Precision Oncology & Radiosurgery and an Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at The James Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ohio. In his practice, Dr. Thomas leads pioneering treatments for movement disorders using advanced stereotactic radiosurgery. Dr. Thomas completed his medical and engineering education at the University of Alabama, where he earned both an MD and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. He completed an internship in general surgery, and then his residency in Radiation Oncology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where he also pursued advanced fellowship training in radiosurgery, with specialization in treating complex brain and nervous system conditions.