In the UK, a 65-year-old woman named Denise Bacon, diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, played the clarinet during brain surgery at London’s King’s College Hospital. As a retired speech and language therapist from Crowborough, East Sussex, she underwent Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in July. Throughout the four-hour surgery, she played the clarinet, allowing the medical team to observe her symptom management in real-time.
Bacon, diagnosed in 2014, faced bradykinesia and muscle rigidity, which impacted her abilities, including walking and playing the clarinet, according to King’s College Hospital, which shared videos of the surgery.
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Professor Keyoumars Ashkan MBE led the DBS procedure, a treatment for patients with movement disorders like Parkinson’s. The team, including a neurologist and neuropsychologist, worked to implant electrodes in her brain.
The electrodes, connected to a pacemaker-like pulse generator, delivered electrical impulses to modify brain activity, reducing Bacon’s symptoms. Improvements were immediate; her finger movements enhanced, making clarinet playing easier.
Professor Ashkan stated, “DBS, involving electrode placement in the brain’s deep structures, is a well-established method to enhance motor symptoms in movement disorder patients.
“Small holes were made in Denise’s skull after precise frame placement on her head, guiding the electrode implantation. Once positioned on the left brain, immediate right-hand movement improvement was noted. Similarly, left-hand improvement followed right brain electrode placement.
“As a passionate clarinettist, Denise brought her clarinet to the surgery to assess if her playing ability improved, a primary surgery goal. We were thrilled with the instant enhancement in her hand movements and playing ability following brain stimulation.”
Bacon, an amateur musician formerly with the East Grinstead Concert Band, stopped playing five years ago due to Parkinson’s symptoms. She received a local anesthetic to numb her scalp and skull, remaining awake during the procedure for symptom monitoring.
She remarked, “With stimulation, my right hand moved more freely, greatly aiding my clarinet playing, which thrilled me.
“I’ve seen improvements in walking and look forward to returning to swimming and dancing.”
Bacon chose a rechargeable pulse generator implanted in her chest, lasting up to 20 years, providing continuous brain stimulation. This innovative device monitors her brain activity, adjusting stimulation as needed.
