Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS is a surgical procedure used to impact specific areas of the brain using electrical impulses. In this procedure, electrodes are placed into the brain through an opening and controlled using an internal pulse generator. These pulses are used to control any abnormal activity in the brain as well as manage any chemical imbalances caused due to certain conditions.
Four major components make up the DBS system. These include:
- Electrodes or leads are thin insulated wires that are planted into the brain area and are used to deliver the pulses that further control the affected region.
- Extension leads are used to connect the electrodes to the IPG or internal pulse generator.
- Internal pulse generator (IPD) is a pacemaker-like programmable device that controls the pulses that are sent out via the electrodes.
- An additional component is a hand-held programmer device that controls the power of the device and adjusts the signals sent out.
In deep brain stimulation, the electrodes are placed in specific regions of the brain via a small opening in the skull and controlled using the IPG. The IPG is placed under the skin in the upper chest region and connected using extension cords. Often called the ‘pacemaker for the brain’, it works similarly to a pacemaker and sends out continuous signals to control any abnormal activity in the brain.
When is DBS used?
DBS is used in several conditions and is advised if medications do not help. Patients suffering from essential tremors, Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, epilepsy, and obsessive-compulsive disorder often opt for this procedure.
What are the risks involved?
Every surgical procedure comes with its own set of risks. Similarly, a DBS surgery comes with its own set of risks.
- Hardware complications like a lead failure, movement of connecting leads, faulty hardware, battery failure, and infection around the skin are some risks involved.
- Several surgical risks involved include brain infection, misplacement of the electrodes, brain hemorrhage, and suboptimal placement of the device.
- Stimulation-related complications are a very common sight and usually occur during the programming stage. These include unintended movement, freezing, involuntary muscle contractions, and double vision.
Turkey as a destination for DBS
Turkey is an upcoming medical destination especially for DBS because of the high-quality infrastructure, well-trained professionals, and affordable cost of treatment as compared to developed nations. With over 1200 medical surgeons Turkey is on its way to becoming a preferred medical tourism destination.
The average DBS surgery cost in Turkey is USD 35,000 which is extremely affordable when compared to countries like the USA and UK. Moreover, the cost varies between different hospitals and clinics, time of recovery, and any other complications which might develop post-surgery. If you are looking for a hospital for DBS surgery in Turkey, multiple options can be considered. These include Memorial Sisli hospital, Memorial Atasehir hospital, Hizmet hospital, Memorial Antalya hospital, and Anadolu medical center.
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