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London, UK – In a truly harmonious blend of medicine and music, a patient undergoing brain surgery for Parkinson’s disease demonstrated the immediate success of her treatment by performing a clarinet solo – all while on the operating table.
Denise Bacon, 65, a retired speech and language therapist, experienced instant improvement in her finger movements during a four-hour Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery at London’s King’s College Hospital. Diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, Bacon had faced increasing difficulties with everyday activities and her beloved clarinet.
Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, professor of neurosurgery, performed the DBS procedure, which involves implanting electrodes deep within the brain to deliver targeted electrical signals. This established procedure aims to improve motor symptoms in patients with movement disorders.
Though the brain itself lacks pain receptors, Bacon received a local anesthetic to her scalp and skull. Doctors made small incisions to implant the stimulating electrodes, which were then connected to a pulse generator, similar to a pacemaker, placed in her chest.
“As a keen clarinetist, it was suggested Denise bring her clarinet into the operating theatre to see whether the procedure would improve her ability to play, which was one of Denise’s main goals for the surgery,” Professor Ashkan explained in a hospital news release.
Bacon, an amateur musician who had been unable to play with her East Grinstead Concert Band for five years due to her Parkinson’s symptoms, noticed a remarkable difference during the surgery. “I remember my right hand being able to move with much more ease once the stimulation was applied, and this in turn improved my ability to play the clarinet, which I was delighted with,” she recounted.
While most brain surgeries require general anesthesia, certain procedures necessitate the patient remaining awake. This allows doctors to monitor vital brain functions and ensure the treatment is effective in real time, as was the case with Bacon’s musical demonstration.
This isn’t the first time King’s College Hospital has seen such a unique surgical performance. In 2020, Professor Ashkan also oversaw a procedure where a violinist played jazz classics during brain tumor removal.
Bacon is already reporting early progress in her walking and is eagerly anticipating a return to activities like swimming and dancing. The chest-implanted pulse generator will continue to deliver electrical impulses for the next two decades, offering her the chance to fully re-engage with her passions and hobbies.