St. John's Regional Medical Center Announces First Implant of Deep Brain Stimulation System for Patients Who Have Parkinson's Disease

OXNARD, CA – April 18, 2022 – The team at Dignity Health-St. John's Regional Medical Center's (SJRMC) recently became the first and only in Ventura County to implant and activate the most advanced deep-brain stimulation (DBS) technology for patients with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and other neurological conditions. 

The neuroscience team, led by Akin Oni-Orisan, MD, Medical Director of the Neurointerventional Program, and movement disorder neurologist Bradley Hiner, MD, implanted and activated Abbott's FDA-approved Infinity Deep-Brain Stimulation (DBS) device in a patient living with Parkinson's disease. The patient responded well to treatment and saw significant improvement upon device activation.

"Being the first in Ventura County to adopt the latest DBS technology and the only medical center in this region to offer DBS is a testament to St. John's commitment to staying on the forefront of new technology for the communities it serves” said Dr. Oni-Orisan. 

DBS is an established treatment used in patients to alleviate symptoms such as tremor, slowness and abnormal muscle contractions. In appropriately selected patients with debilitating symptoms despite treatment with medications, the addition of DBS therapy can provide significant symptomatic relief.

"While DBS has been around for many years, the technology has evolved tremendously, significantly improving the lives of people living with Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Hiner. "The latest technology not only sends targeted signals to the area of the brain causing tremors, but it does it with such precision that it can be customized to meet the needs of each patient and fine-tuned as needed from a mobile device." 

DBS is a surgical procedure in which a lead is connected from the brain to a pacemaker-like battery pack implanted in the chest. DBS is not a cure for movement disorders, but it can dramatically decrease symptoms and improve patients' quality of life.

"Going into the procedure, I could have never imagined the vast improvement I experienced the moment the device was activated, states patient Laura Anter. "This procedure has given me back more control of my life."

Parkinson's disease is a neurological disorder characterized by tremors, slow movements, stiff muscles and gait problems that develop over time. Patients with essential tremors or Parkinson's disease with symptoms that are not optimally controlled by medications are good candidates for DBS surgery. For more information about DBS at St.John’s Regional Medical Center, visit DignityHealth.org/StJohnsNeuroCare

###

About Dignity Health - St. John's Regional Medical Center

Founded in 1912, Dignity Health - St. John's Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) is a 365-bed, acute care, non-profit hospital located in Oxnard, Calif. Serving Ventura County for more than one hundred years, SJRMC has been named a Top 250 hospital by Healthgrades. As a leader in stroke care, SJRMC is the first and only Certified Thrombectomy-Capable Stroke Center in Ventura County and is a recipient of the American Heart Association's, Get with the Guidelines-Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. Designated as a STEMI Receiving Center,  SJRMC is highly recognized for excellence in cardiac care and has been named a Blue Distinction Center for Cardiac Care by Blue Shield of California. Its Cancer Center is accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. SJRMC is home to the only all-private room, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Ventura County.