A team at the Mayo Clinic in Florida implanted electrical wires into a specific spot in Mr. Meredith's brain. The electrodes are attached to a stimulation device that's placed under the skin near the collarbone. When the device fires, tremors stop. Now, Mr. Meredith back at work. He says it's almost a miracle because at his worst, he had almost given up on life.
Patients can turn the stimulator on and off using a special device.
This treatment is a good option for patients who cannot do normal day to day activities and whose disease does not respond to medication. The FDA has approved the device for treatment for essential tremor and is in the process of approving it for Parkinson's disease. Copyright 2000 Belo Interactive Inc., All Rights Reserved.