Fortis Mohali offers Deep Brain Stimulation & Vagus Nerve Stimulation for neurological and psychiatric disorders

Fortis Mohali offers Deep Brain Stimulation & Vagus Nerve Stimulation for neurological and psychiatric disorders 
-- Fortis Mohali only private hospital outside NCR to have a dedicated Movement Disorder Clinic for Parkinson’s and tremor which is held every Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM; FHM also offers  
Vagus Nerve Stimulation for epilepsy and depression --  

Jammu, May 11, 2024: A 64-year-old Patient based in Jammu had been suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and had been exhibiting symptoms such as trembling of hands, arms, head, difficulty in speaking, stiffness of limbs and impaired coordination. His symptoms had been progressing, while severely impacting his health and daily life.  

Despite being on multiple medicines, the Patient’s health had not shown improvement. Unable to bear the discomfort, he finally approached Dr Nishit Sawal, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Fortis Hospital Mohali, recently. 

The Neuro-Modulation Team at Fortis Mohali comprising Dr Anupam Jindal, Additional Director, Neurosurgery; Dr Prof Vivek Gupta, Additional Director of Interventional Neuroradiology; Dr Vivek Agarwal, Consultant, Neuro-intervention and Interventional Radiology; Dr Abhishek Prasad, Consultant, Neuro-radiology; Dr Bhupinderjit Waraich, Senior Consultant, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences; Dr Mehraaj Sandhu, Consultant, Department of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences; and Dr Nishit Sawal deliberated on the treatment modalities and decided to perform Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. 

Deep Brain Stimulation involves implanting electrodes inside the brain to produce electrical impulses. The surgery helps improve motor complications in patients with Parkinson’s disease. 

Following good rehabilitation at Fortis Mohali, the Patient’s health improved and his symptoms began to subside. He is leading a normal life today.  

Stating that DBS had revolutionized the treatment of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Dr Nishit Sawal, said, “Deep Brain Stimulation improves motor complications in patients with Parkinson's disease. Symptoms such as trembling of hands, arms, head, and difficulty in walking subside post-surgery, besides medication is also reduced.” 

The second Patient, a 70-year-old woman from Punjab had been suffering from severe depression and anxiety for nearly 30 years and was not responding to medicines. Her family had got her admitted to a mental health facility where she received treatment for about 8 years.  The Patient’s family approached Dr Nishit Sawal following which she underwent VNS - Vagal Nerve Stimulation Surgery.  

VNS is a small surgery in which a thin electrode is implanted on the left side of the chest. Patients suffering from epilepsy, fits, depression and anxiety respond well to VNS. 

Post surgery, the Patient’s depression improved and she was able to resume her normal life and returned home.  

Fortis Hospital Mohali is the only hospital in North India (outside NCR) to provide 24x7 facilities for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, dystonia, essential tremors and ataxia through DBS. Further, Fortis Mohali is the only hospital in North India to use Alpha Omega’s (Tel Aviv, Israel) MER (Microelectrode recording system) with a Robotic Drive which makes DBS targeting much more accurate. 

Fortis Mohali is also the only private hospital outside NCR to have a dedicated Movement Disorder Clinic which is held every Saturday from 11 AM to 2 PM, where a team comprising a neurologist, neurosurgeon and neuro-radiologist evaluates patients having tremors, ataxia, Huntington’s Chorea, dystonia etc. in detail. 

Fortis Mohali is also the only private hospital outside NCR to offer millet-based diet for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. 

Further, Fortis Mohali is the only hospital in North India to offer Vagal Nerve Stimulation (VNS) which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for epilepsy and depression. Patients having epileptic fits and those suffering from depression benefit from VNS.