He was almost completely immobilized, bothered by impaired and sluggish movement, weakness, sweating, tremors, stiffness, immobility, stooped posture, swallowing problems, and speaking difficulty. His eyes and mouth remained partially open during sleep. Burns previously had undergone an adrenal graft surgery at another institution, without benefit, and eventually had become completely disabled. But with each passing hour the fantasy becomes more a reality, and what was the reality of disease now becomes a fading memory. The pallidotomy is not a cure for Parkinson's disease, and it is not recommended for all Parkinson's sufferers.
Patients report little or no pain using local anesthetic.
Medication is not discontinued. The procedure makes the patient more responsive to the medication and allows some patients to reduce their medication. Some of the symptoms require the patient, like Ed Hounsell, to have the surgery on both sides of the brain. After careful evaluation, Iacono may do both sides in one procedure or each side in separate operations. Postero-ventral pallidotomy is funded by most insurance companies and is covered by Medicare.