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Parkinsons's Disease


Parkinson's is one of the most complicated and difficult diseases to treat. It is seen in aproximately 15 of 100.000 habitants. The age of onset is usually in the late fifties or early sixties, however can be seen before 30 or above 80. It is idiopathic (not known cause), however the Parkinsonism (sypmptoms like in the disease) can be produced by many other causes, like toxic, trauma and infectious.

The disease is progressive in variable time, according to each individual and there is no known cure for it. The manifestations of the disease are multiple and in a wide range of systems , from the skin to the brain, however the most constant are Tremor (shaking of the limbs), Rigidity (stifness of muscles( and Bradykinesia (slownes of movement). These can be present on its own or in a variable conbination in number and intensity.

The possibilities of medical treatment are restricted to a few drugs, all of them acting only on the symptoms and not on the disease itself. Most of these drugs have seccondary effects and not all the patients tollerate them properly and with time diminishes the effect that they have on the symptoms. The most widely used are the derivatives of a substance called Levo Dopa, which mimics one produced by the brain cells; production that is diminished in Parkinsonian patients.

Tremor, Rigidity and Bradikinesia can be reduced by STEREOTACTIC NEUROSURGERY and this is indicated in some selected patients. For this selection the neurosurgeon has to considered age, general health and the combination and predominant symptoms of the disease.



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Costa Rica
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