A man fitted with a pioneering, computer-controlled brain implant to tackle his Parkinson’s disease says it works so well he is sometimes able to forget he has the condition.
A small computer inserted into Kevin Hill’s chest wall 12 months ago is connected to wires running into the brain which can send electrical signals and an update means it can now read his brain activity.
The 65-year-old from Sunderland said it has been so successful he feels like he has “been cured”.
Surgeons in Newcastle hope the deep brain stimulation will have a “huge impact” on the quality of life of patients with the disease.
The computer in his chest is connected to two thin wires that thread up the back of his neck. It carries the electrical messages that can manage his Parkinson’s symptoms.
When it was switched on after surgery he said the impact was dramatic. After years of sleepless nights, and being unable to manage the uncontrollable shaking of his arm and leg, his tremors “stopped instantly”.
Mr Hill said he stared at his still hand and “couldn’t believe it”. His wife burst into tears.
The life he once knew came back, meaning he was able to go to the pub and see his friends again. He bought a bike and was even allowed back into the kitchen.
For the last year he has had to go to hospital regularly to have his system re-programmed to better control his symptoms. Now, a new updated version called “adaptive deep brain stimulation” has been designed to re-programme the system in real time.
It can also read a patient’s brain signals which doctors say should mean even better control of symptoms.
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