The world’s first ‘brain pacemaker’ procedure performed on a child… by a ROBOT
An eight-year-old with paralyzing brain damage was able to move independently again – thanks to a unique implant surgery involving a robot.
Before the lengthy surgery, Karleigh Fry, of Oklahoma, was paralyzed and could no longer eat, walk or even sit on her own. Now she can raise her arms above her head and there are signs that she is starting to move other parts of her body.
A robotic device placed an electrical implant in her brain to ‘reawaken’ areas involved in movement.
Although the robot – which is operated by surgeons – has been used to implant brain stimulators in the past, this is the first time the procedure has been performed on a child.
Dr. Amber Stocco, the pediatric neurologist involved in the procedure, described the surgery as a “milestone.”
Karleigh Fry, eight, couldn’t move her arms until procedure to implant a ‘brain pacemaker’
Doctors are hailing their achievement as a game changer for the use of robotics in brain surgery for children
“Our young patient is already showing promising results, and we hope this procedure will pave the way for more pediatric cases worldwide.”
Meanwhile, Karleigh’s mother, Trisha Fry, said the family saw improvements the moment doctors turned on the electrical device, adding: “I think she will definitely have a great future.”
Karleigh suffers from an inherited condition called rapid-onset primary dystonia, a neurological disease that causes painful muscle contractions and abnormal movements. In some cases, the muscle pain is so severe that patients cannot move.
Doctors believe that the condition causes abnormal electrical patterns in the brain, especially in areas involved with involuntary movements.
The form of dystonia that Mrs Fry has is of the genetic type that is less common in children. The most common cause in children is brain injury, such as a stroke or cerebral palsy.
The stimulating electrodes inserted into her brain helped disrupt abnormal activity and restore normal movement patterns.
The device, called a deep brain stimulation implant, is similar to a pacemaker, but for the brain.
It involves the placement of a pulse generator that sends electrical signals to the parts of the brain that control body movement. It can inhibit overactive neural connections or activate underactive connections, depending on the condition.
The tool is also used to treat Parkinson’s disease, tremors, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression.
Dr. Amber Stocco, a pediatric neurologist and medical director of Child & Adolescent Neurology at Bethany Children’s Health Center, a partner of the OU Health physicians, said their team is now “at the forefront of what’s happening in the world of deep brain stimulation, as but also robotics.’
Robotic surgery is nothing new. The Da Vinci robot, which is often used for heart and chest surgery, has been in use since the year 2000 and is also used on babies.
Dr. Andrew Jea, the pediatric neurosurgeon at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital who operated on her, said, “This marked the global debut of using a robot from our operating rooms to perform deep brain stimulation on a child, setting a precedent not just in Oklahoma but also beyond. the United States and worldwide.”