Dr. Martinez

Dr. Martinez answers some of his patients' common questions about Medtronic DBS Therapy.

When do you first introduce Medtronic DBS Therapy as a treatment option for Parkinson's disease patients?

The first time I bring up DBS Therapy to patients is during initial consultation when I make the diagnosis of PD. I bring it up as one of the many different interventions that we have to treat their Parkinson’s symptoms in the long-term. At that first visit, the patient really needs to have hope about the fact that their doctor can treat this effectively.

When should patients consider DBS Therapy?

DBS should be considered when patients begin to have significant dyskinesias, motor fluctuations, significant on off periods or they may be having significant side effects from the medication say, nausea or vomiting.

How do you describe the implant procedure to your patients?

I begin by describing the neurostimulator as similar to a heart pacemaker, except in this case it's a pacemaker for the brain. The neurostimulator goes under the skin of the chest. The wire runs under the skin, up behind the ear, and the surgeon makes a small hole through the skull and places the wire deep in the brain where you're deficient in dopamine. The electrical stimulation at the tip of this wire will help relieve some Parkinson's symptoms. I add that up until now, we've been able to relieve your Parkinson's symptoms with chemical stimulation. But now, we're stimulating the same areas of your brain by using electrical signals.

How painful is the implant procedure?

Whenever I discuss the surgical procedure with patients, they always want to know, is this going to be painful? The answer is, during the first part of the procedure, most people have very little to no pain or if they have some, it's usually taken care of with non-prescription pain medication. And it's usually very short- lived. The second stage of the procedure, with the placement of the lead and the neurostimulator in the chest – that can cause some pain, aching, and discomfort. That pain may last for a few days.

The doctor listed on this page is paid by Medtronic as a consultant. Medtronic asked for his statements regarding his experience with DBS Therapy.