VIDEO CLIPS

Joy Pre-Post Deep Brain Stimulation Operation

Joy suffers from a rare neurological condition called dystonia which causes uncontrollable muscle spasms.

Since her early teenage years Joy has been unable to manage activities that most of us take for granted, such as drinking a cup of tea without assistance.

Then in February 2004 Joy had the same pioneering new surgery that her daughter experienced a year earlier. Thanks to the Parkinson's Appeal for Deep Brain Stimulation and the Functional Neurosurgery Unit led by Professor Hariz at the National Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London.

The procedure which placed electrodes deep inside the brain, connected to a stimulator implanted in the chest has completely restored her quality of life.

Joy pre / post DBS *

Dystonia patients are usually operated on under a general anesthetic. Parkinson's Disease patients tend to be awake for the implanting of the electrodes.

*Clips by kind permission of Landmark Films to raise awareness of Dystonia