CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WHAT: National Geographic Channel (NGC; @NatGeoChannel), in a partnership with Mental Floss (@mental_floss), captured the drama of an awake deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery, a U.S. television first, from the operating room at University Hospitals (UH) Case Medical Center (@UHhospitals) in Cleveland, Ohio.
Near the completion of the successful surgery on patient Greg Grindley, lead neurosurgeon Dr. Jonathan Miller commented, “I couldn’t be happier with what we could accomplish for him and his family. It’s great seeing the effect tonight, but it will be even greater to see the benefit he will receive from this ten years from now. The surgery set the stage for the brain to heal itself. The brain has the ability to do so many amazing things.”
Summing up the impact of this television first and the reason for airing the show was a tweet from @MrDReynolds: “#BrainSurgeryLive thank you for doing this show. I have essential tremors and was freaking out about the idea of DBS but you have calmed me.”
The live two-hour special premiered in the U.S. Sunday, Oct. 25, at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT on NGC and Nat Geo Mundo, and globally in 171 countries and 45 languages (live in some regions, live to tape in others). For more information, visit our press room at foxflash.com and follow @NGC_PR on Twitter.
CLIPS: (Cleared for all Media use with “Courtesy National Geographic Channel”)
1. The moment doctors at University Hospitals Case Medical Center activate the electrode they implanted in patient Greg Grindley’s brain and the tremor in his right hand stops immediately. http://files.natgeonetworks.com/_hudhT86Eb9Wi_R
2. Bryant Gumbel asks patient Greg Grindley how he is feeling during his deep brain stimulation surgery and he responds humorously with, “I’m feeling good…glad to hear I have a normal brain.” http://files.natgeonetworks.com/_cbeaySjpN9uiUR
3. Patient Greg Grindley first communicates with host Bryant Gumbel and his wife while undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. http://files.natgeonetworks.com/_TWeUDHMCb9di-R
ABOUT THE PATIENT:
Greg Grindley is 49 year old retired military veteran, having served 20 years as a chief petty officer in the Navy. In 2004, six months after retiring, Greg noticed symptoms of what would later be diagnosed as early onset Parkinson’s disease. It became necessary for him to give up his job as an electrician in 2009, and his tremors eventually spread to both hands. He also developed facial contortions, rigidity, loss of mobility and balance and speech issues. Until recently, Greg was opposed to the idea of surgery, but recently made the decision to undergo DBS.
ABOUT THE SURGERY: DBS surgery was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration to treat essential tremor in 1997 and Parkinson’s disease in 2002. While it has become more readily available, this delicate procedure is performed only at select medical centers — like UH Case Medical Center — that have the trained physicians, nurses and technicians, and specialized equipment it requires.
Brain Surgery Live with Mental Floss took viewers into a cutting-edge operating room during a DBS surgery, an elective procedure in which an opening is made in the skull to access the brain. The brain is operated on while the patient is fully awake and able to speak with the neurosurgeons and neurologists. Because the patient is awake, the neurologists know where to target electrodes and then put the patient through a series of tests to determine whether or not they’ve pinpointed the affected area of the brain.
ABOUT THE NEUROSURGICAL TEAM:
Originally founded nearly 150 years ago, UH Case Medical Center is the primary affiliate of Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and is nationally ranked by US News & World Report in nine adult specialties, including neurology and neurosurgery. UH Case Medical Center is a pioneering institution in the field of DBS and also helped develop the Surgical Theater 3D surgical simulator that will be seen in the National Geographic broadcast.
Dr. Jonathan Miller is director, Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery, UH Case Medical Center. He is also associate professor and vice chair for educational affairs, Department of Neurosurgery, Case Western Reserve University. Miller is board certified in neurologic surgery, and his special interests include neuromodulation, epilepsy surgery, DBS, movement disorders, neuropathic pain, cognitive/mood disorders, drug delivery, peripheral nerve surgery and traumatic brain injury.
Dr. Jennifer Sweet is assistant professor, neurosurgery, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and is a neurosurgeon who works with Dr. Miller at UH Case Medical Center in the functional and restorative neurosurgical area. Her other special interests include neuromodulation, DBS for movement disorders and psychiatric disorders, pain stimulation, drug delivery, traumatic brain injury and peripheral nerve disorders.
Dr. Benjamin Walter is director, Parkinson’s & Movement Disorders Center, and medical director of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program at UH Case Medical Center. He is an associate professor of neurology at Case Western Reserve University and is board certified in neurology. His special interests include DBS, dystonia, functional MRI, movement disorders, Parkinson’s disease and tremors.
