Retired Parkinson’s patient plays clarinet during surgery – and sees instant results
Woman plays clarinet during four-hour brain surgery for Parkinson’s
- Denise Bacon, a 65-year-old from East Sussex, underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery for Parkinson's disease at King's College Hospital.
- Diagnosed in 2014, her condition had severely impacted her ability to play the clarinet, walk, swim and dance.
- During the four-hour operation, performed by Professor Keyoumars Ashkan, Ms Bacon remained awake and played her clarinet.
- The electrical current delivered through the implanted electrodes resulted in an immediate and audible improvement in her finger movements, allowing her to play the instrument with ease.
- Ms Bacon has already experienced improvements in her walking and hopes to regain her abilities in swimming and dancing, highlighting the effectiveness of DBS in managing Parkinson's motor symptoms.