Implantation of fetal tissue for the management of Parkinson's disease: a technical note.
A relatively simple method for implanting fetal tissue within the human basal ganglia is described. Stereotactic techniques are used to deposit 14 to 16 strands of fetal mesencephalic tissue in a linear array within the putamen bilaterally. To eliminate the need for targeting each needle pass independently, we have devised a novel rotating template/micromanipulator apparatus that can be mounted on a Cosman-Roberts-Wells stereotactic frame. The template contains two parallel columns of nine holes, all spaced at 4-mm intervals. It can be aligned to the longitudinal axis of the putamen and targeted with coordinates for the center point of the putamen. Surgery is performed on an awake patient. Short-term morbidity (4-6 wk) in the form of variability of Parkinsonian signs, particularly "off" symptoms and mild confusion, appears to be the rule with simultaneous bilateral implants.
Breeze
R E
RE
Department of Surgery, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA.
Wells
T H
TH
Freed
C R
CR
D004867:Equipment Design; D016332:Fetal Tissue Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000601:surgery*; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation