Treatment of Cervical Dystonia of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Israel

Brain stimulation (DBS) is a procedure that is used to treat diseases accompanied by movement disorders. It is most often used for Parkinson's disease, dystonia and essential tremor. It is less commonly used for the secondary brain lesions. You can undergo deep brain stimulation in Israel. Doctors with many years of experience in using this method of functional neurosurgery work in this country. It allows reverse most of the symptoms of cervical dystonia.

What is brain stimulation?

Deep brain stimulation is a method of functional surgery involving the implantation of an electrode into the brain. It sends impulses that normalize the "brain rhythm", thereby eliminating or reducing most of the symptoms of cervical dystonia.

Dystonia is one of the indications for the use of deep stimulation. The procedure is usually used for generalized forms of the disease, since in the case of focal and segmental forms the effect can be achieved with the help of more sparing method – botulinum toxin injections. The deep stimulation is often resorted to when other treatment methods are no longer effective.

What is cervical dystonia?

Cervical dystonia is a form of the disease characterized by involuntary spasms and muscle contractions in the cervical spine. It forms pathological, disabling postures of the head and neck.

Cervical dystonia sharply worsens a patient’s quality of life, as in patients with this disease it is impossible to predict when muscle contractions will occur, they cannot be controlled. The muscles will hypertrophy over time. The volume of the splenius, trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, anterior scalene muscles increases mostly.

Cervical dystonia is often combined with: 

• Eyelid spasm
• Movement of the lower jaw
• Writing tremor

Cervical dystonia is often spoken of as one of the components of the generalized form of this disease. According to other classifications, it refers to segmental forms of the disease.

The disease usually manifests itself at a young or middle age, that is, during the period of maximum working ability and social activity. It can be not only primary, but also secondary – developed due to other diseases. Cervical dystonia can develop with hepatocerebral dystrophy, tumors of the posterior cranial fossa and ventricular region, Huntington's disease, vascular and inflammatory diseases of the brain.

In most clinics, a diagnosis is based on the following symptoms: 

• Dystonic posture
• Difficulties with verticalization of the head and neck
• Correlation of the severity of symptoms with the emotional state
• Patient has more symptoms in the upright body position and when walking than in the supine position
• Spontaneous remissions may sometimes occur
• Kinesia paradoxa: symptoms may be relieved when walking with your back forward, driving a car or running, but after the cessation of these actions they return back

The main treatment in most hospitals is botulinum toxin injections. Other options include selective denervation of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, neurolysis of the accessory nerve, rhizotomy, deep brain stimulation. The Neurosurgery Clinics use DBS only in generalization of the process or in the case of botulinum therapy ineffectiveness.

What is the process of treatment?

A patient undergoes an operation in the Neurosurgery Hospital. The operation involves the implantation of an electrode into the brain. It can be implanted in different regions, depending on the type of the disease. In the case of dystonia, this is usually the internal segment of the globus pallidus. With the predominance of dystonic tremor, the electrode is implanted in the ventral intermediate nucleus of the thalamus.

The operation takes place under general anesthesia. A doctor drills a small hole in the patient's skull. He implants an electrode into the target region of the brain through it. To implant it accurately, a neurosurgeon uses a navigation system.

After 1-2 weeks, a patient returns to the hospital to undergo a second operation. A doctor makes a small incision under the clavicle and implants the battery pack.

At the next stage of treatment, the program is initially set up. It is carried out remotely using the remote control. Although a doctor selects a stimulation program, sets the strength, amplitude, frequency, a finer adjustment is required in the future so that the patient can get the maximum result from treatment. Therefore, within a few weeks, a person should return to the clinic, undergo a medical examination, set up a program of deep brain stimulation.

A feature of cervical dystonia treatment is the use of an intensive stimulation mode. It depletes the pulse generator battery in a few years. Therefore, after some time, a patient will have to go to the hospital to replace or recharge it.

What results can be expected?

Some patients expect that after deep brain stimulation they will no longer suffer from symptoms of cervical dystonia. Although the procedure is really very effective, it should not be overestimated. It relieves symptoms, but does not cure the disease completely.

And yet, after deep brain stimulation, the quality of life of patients rises sharply. They no longer need constant care, and some of them can return to work and active social life.

Deep brain stimulation is a symptomatic treatment. It works while the electrode continues to send pulses. For many patients, deep stimulation lasts for many years. A patient needs periodical medical examinations by a doctor to find out if there are any complications, whether there may be a destructive effect on the regions of the brain undergoing stimulation. If the treatment is tolerated normally, it helps to alleviate symptoms, then it can be continued indefinitely.

Why is it better to undergo deep brain stimulation in Israel?

The technique is constantly evolving. There are emerging the innovative approaches that make deep brain stimulation more effective and safer for patients with cervical dystonia.

Many foreign patients undergo treatment in Israel. They want to take advantage of the very latest achievements of neurosurgery, and at the same time get medical services at a reasonable price. The hospitals in Israel are well-equipped, while doctors at leading clinics are highly qualified and experienced.

Here are the main benefits of deep brain stimulation in hospitals in Israel.

Selection of patients. In recent years, there has appeared a large amount of data about the results of brain stimulation in different categories of patients. In Israel, doctors carry out a thorough medical examination of patients to understand who is the candidate for this procedure and whom it will not help alleviate the symptoms. Doctors will not perform surgery and put you at unnecessary risk if the they come to the conclusion that the effect of deep brain stimulation will be low.

New programming systems. It is uncomfortable for the patient to visit Israel every week to set up a stimulation program. Therefore, doctors in the hospitals in Israel use the cutting-edge systems that allow a person or his relatives to set up the device independently. A patient is trained to use a stimulant before he is discharged from the hospital. If necessary, patient’s accompanying person may undergo the same training.

Reliability. Israel uses modern devices for deep brain stimulation, which are highly reliable. The malfunctions in the system mean that the patient may need a second operation, but if you undergo treatment in Israel, then the risk that the electrode will stop working is close to zero.

Precise electrode implantation. For this purpose, doctors use the most advanced neuronavigation systems. The accurate electrode placement provides good treatment results and reduces health risks even more.

Cost of the procedure. Although deep brain stimulation is a very effective treatment for cervical dystonia, its widespread use is limited due to its high cost. Israel offers lower prices for this procedure than the United States and Europe. Therefore, medical tourists from Western countries often come here.

Where to seek help from?

To undergo deep brain stimulation in Israel, please, use the services of Booking Health. Our portal presents the best clinics of this country. You can get information about medical facilities, programs, prices. By comparing the cost of treatment in different clinics, you have the opportunity to book a program at the best price.

Booking Health specialists will arrange your trip for treatment in Israel. We offer the following services and benefits, taking care about all important issues:

• Selection of the best clinic for deep brain stimulation in Israel, which specializes in the treatment of cervical dystonia using functional neurosurgery methods
• Direct communication with the doctor from the selected clinic
• Reduced waiting times for treatment in Israel, appointment for deep brain stimulation on the most suitable dates
• Reduced cost of treatment in Israel – prices will be reduced due to avoiding additional coefficients for foreign patients
• Price control and return of unspent funds
• Preparation of a deep brain stimulation program without the need to repeat previous diagnostic tests
• Buying and forwarding medicines
• Communication with the hospital after the completion of the deep brain stimulation program
• Organization of additional diagnostics, treatment in Israel or rehabilitation

Booking Health specialists provide high-quality service. We will take care about booking a hotel and airline tickets for you, meet you at the airport and take you to the hospital by car.