STROKE: Cleveland Clinic pioneers deep brain stimulation

On December 19, 2016, Dr. Andre Machado, chair of the Neurological Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, performed the first deep brain stimulation procedure on a stroke patient.  This lengthy surgery, part of an ongoing clinical trial, involved implantation of electrodes in the brain that are connected to a pacemaker-like device.  As the patient recovers from the brain surgery, physical therapy will be combined with stimulation of areas of the brain to overcome damage done by the stroke.  A key objective of this groundbreaking surgery is to help stroke patients recover from stroke-induced paralysis.  An estimated 400,000 Americans a year – or half the number of patients who have a stroke each year – end up disabled.

Sources:

Cleveland Clinic performs nation’s first deep brain stimulation for stroke recovery. (2017, January 4). News release. Click here: https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2017/01/04/cleveland-clinic-performs-nations-first-deep-brain-stimulation-stroke-recovery/; and, Sifferlin, A. (2017, January 4). Doctors perform groundbreaking surgery for stroke. Time. Click here: http://time.com/4620618/doctors-perform-groundbreaking-surgery-for-stroke/  Posted by AHA Resource Center (312) 422-2050, rc@aha.org