Mexican Operation for Severe Parkinson's Disease

Mexican Operation for Severe Parkinson's Disease

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION: My father suffers from severe Parkinson's and so I make every
attempt to keep up with the latest developments in treating the illness. I
have read that a new operation is now available that can cure the illness
available in Mexico. Do you know anything about this, and where I can take my
father for treatment?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWER: Yes, I know of the operation, and unfortunately, can not encourage
you about its use in treating your father. Almost two years ago, an operation
which used tissue transplanted from the patient's own adrenal gland into the
brain was reported as producing remarkable improvement in the condition of the
two Parkinson patients who were the first patients to have this procedure
performed. This surgery took place in Mexico. In the past two years, over
100 such operations were performed by neurosurgeons in the United States.
Their results, as reported at the most recent meeting of the American Academy
of Neurology in Chicago, did not confirm the results as originally reported.
While some patients did do well, the improvement was not as dramatic as
described in the first patients. In addition there were many complications
after surgery, including confusion and disorientation, and the ability of
anti-Parkinson's medication to control symptoms was reduced. When all of this
became known The American Academy of Neurology issued a position statement
that urged "great caution" in expanding the use of this operation until
further careful and complete research could be accomplished. There has never
been any claims of a "cure" for the procedure, and the results have been a
mild to moderate improvement when it has worked. Since this is not true in
every case, and in view of the high risks involved, I can not recommend it to
you.