Mumbai teen undergoes brain surgery for Parkinson's disease

MUMBAI: While the debilitating Parkinson's disease is usually associated with older people, a Bhayander family learned that in very rare instances, it could occur in children as well.
Their 16-year-old son, Chaitya Shah, can be counted among the less than 1 per 1 lakh population who get Parkinson's early in life. On December 30, 2022, more than two years after his first symptoms appeared, he underwent a brain surgery called 'deep brain stimulation' (DBS) to treat Parkinson's disease.
Chaitya's first symptoms were "tightness in his hand and leg movements", his father Sandeep Shah said. Over the years, the problem worsened to such an extent he was unable to close his mouth, open his hands or walk. "He was not able to eat, swallow or even change his position in bed,'' said Shah.
He was diagnosed with Juvenile Parkinson's Disease and put on medication.
'Severe pain gone after the surgery, I am able to write after a long time'
After Chaitya Shah (in pic) was diagnosed with Juvenile Parkinson's Disease, medicine helped immensely in the initial days. "But he started developing side-effects that made it difficult for him to continue his daily routine,'' said Dr Paresh Doshi, neurosurgeon from Jaslok Hospital who operated on the 16-year-old.
While patients were awake for the hundreds of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgeries that Dr Doshi has performed, Chaitya was the first patient to be asleep. "Usually, we keep the patient awake to understand that the electrode is being placed at the right spot, but newer medical literature suggests that asleep surgery too has good results,'' Dr Doshi said. When the DBS (which has an external modulator) was switched on, Chaitya's sluggish movements stopped. "The extreme pain that I was facing daily has gone. I can write after a long time,'' Chaitya said. He would need 6 pills a day earlier, the dose is now reduced to 2.
Dr Pramod Pal from NIMHANS, Bengaluru, said DBS has been recognised as a treatment option for patients with advanced Parkinson's. "It has good results in children too,'' he said. However, according to him, the cost is a problem in a country like India-an advanced DBS costs over Rs 13 lakh.
The Shahs got partial aid from NGOs and the hospital. As he got discharged on Saturday, Chaitya said, "There were many things I couldn't do before the surgery. But I want people to know no matter the difficulties, one should fight it.''