Empowering Patients And Making The Most Of Precious Clinical Time: Deep Brain Stimulation Explained

The Neurological Foundation has teamed up with an Auckland neurologist to create a video explaining Deep Brain Stimulation, a procedure that can be life-changing for people with Parkinson’s disease.

Developed as a tool for patients and their loved ones, the video can be watched as often as needed before or after a patient’s appointment with their neurologist, answering most of the questions they might have and empowering them with important knowledge.

Watch the video here

Dr Viswas Dayal is a neurologist with special expertise in Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), having trained in London under one of the pioneers of the procedure.

“When a Parkinson’s patient discusses DBS with their neurologist, there is a lot of new information to process and they might not remember everything they’re told,” says Dr Dayal.

“Their loved ones might also have questions that they feel unable to answer. The idea of this video is that it mimics a generic consultation where common questions people have are addressed, covering all the basics about the procedure, who may be eligible, possible side-effects and potential benefits,” he says.

“It can be watched by people who are curious about the procedure and want to know if it could be right for them. Neurologists can also share it with patients to prepare them for what’s ahead. Patients always feel more at ease when they know what to expect. I hope this video will help everyone in New Zealand who’s eligible for this procedure to understand what it entails.”

Dr Dayal says that as well as empowering patients, the video could help better utilise precious clinical time. “If we can equip our patients with a foundation of accurate and detailed information, the time they have with their neurologist could be used to focus on more specific aspects of their situation.”

The CEO of the Neurological Foundation, Rich Easton, says, “Unfortunately, New Zealand is short of neurologists. If we can help save even 15 minutes of clinical time with this video, then across many patients that will add up to making a real difference.”

The video also introduces Stephen Goodman, one of Dr Dayal’s patients, who has benefited from DBS. At the end of the video, Stephen’s unit is turned off and on again.

“That’s when you realise the profound effect of this treatment, which is wonderful to see,” says Rich. “It’s also a reminder that we need to keep investing in neurological research so that treatments like DBS can continue being developed.”

What’s in the video:

• An introduction to Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)
• A description of the procedure
• What to expect before, during and after the surgery
• Possible side-effects
• A chat with Parkinson’s patient Stephen Goodman, who has had the procedure

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