Swedish Essential Tremor/Deep Brain Stimulation Livestream

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On Friday, Dec. 16, 2011 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (PST), Drs. Ron Young and Ryder Gwinn, surgeons from the Swedish Neuroscience Institute, hosted a livestream to discuss the affects of Essential Tremor (ET), the Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgical procedure used to treat ET and the other innovative treatment options for ET available at Swedish and throughout the country.

ET is a progressive neurological condition that causes a rhythmic trembling of the hands, head, voice, legs or trunk. It is often confused with Parkinson’s disease and is often un-diagnosed.

The livestream featured a video stream of a recorded DBS surgical procedure performed at Swedish, accompanied by a live web chat led by Drs. Young and Gwinn. The DBS device is like a pacemaker for the brain. During the surgery, a tiny wire is implanted in the area of the brain that controls abnormal movement. This wire modifies the brain’s electrical signals to help control tremors and other abnormal movements.

Watch a 30 minute recap of the livestream:

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Why a livestream on Essential Tremor?

Essential Tremor is the most common neurological movement disorder affecting Americans, yet most people are unaware that this disorder even exists, let alone the available treatment options.

Simple tasks like eating, combing your hair, or writing a thank you note can be impossible for those suffering from ET, but because of the lack of awareness for the disorder, most of the time, it goes either undiagnosed or untreated.

Drs. Young and Gwinn hosted this livestream to increase awareness of ET and the innovative treatment options such as the DBS and Gamma Knife procedures that are available.

Click here to see the full, 3-hour livestream. You can also watch a 30 minute recap, or a 5 minute recap here.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please feel free to request a call back from the Swedish Neuroscience Institute.

Swedish is committed to sharing medical information through social media to help build broad awareness on various topics like ET. To view other live streams that have been conducted by Swedish, visit www.Swedish.org/engage.

For more information:

         

Patient Matthew Miller demonstrates daily activities and the difference when his stimulator is turned on and off.

  

Questions or comments about the livestream:
Dana Lewis, dana.lewis@swedish.org (@danamlewis | @Swedish)

Click here to see the full, 3-hour livestream. You can also watch a 30 minute recap, or a 5 minute recap here.

Media Inquiries:
Ed Boyle, (206) 386-2748, ed.boyle@swedish.org (@edboyle)
Aaron Blank, (206) 343-1543, aaronblank@feareygroup.com (@AaronBlank)

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Meet the Surgeons:

Dr. Ryder Gwinn

Dr. Ryder Gwinn is a board-certified neurosurgeon and the director of Epilepsy Surgery and Functional Neurosurgery at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle. Dr. Gwinn combines technology with traditional Neurosurgical techniques to find the least invasive therapy with the highest chance of success for patients suffering from disorders of the spine and central nervous system. His primary goal is always to develop a treatment plan for his patients’ that helps them lead healthy, happy lives. Dr. Gwinn graduated from UCLA Medical School and served his residency at Georgetown University and his fellowship at Yale University.

Dr. Ronald Young

Dr. Ronald Young is a board certified neurosurgeon at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle, where he works in radiosurgery and deep brain stimulation. Dr. Young feels his primary role is to educate his patients on the various procedures and treatments that are available for movement disorders, and to provide the most comfortable and personalized treatment possible for his patients. Dr. Young graduated from State University of New York at Buffalo Medical School and served his residencies at State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York and Veterans Administration Hospital, Long Beach, California.

Dr. Jennifer Witt
Dr. Jennifer Witt is a board certified neurologist at the Swedish Neuroscience Institute in Seattle with a special interest and training in movement disorders. Dr. Witt uses tools including pharmacotherapy, local injections and deep brain stimulation to help patients maintain and improve their functioning and quality of life while living with their disorder. She works closely with Neurosurgery to select appropriate patients to undergo the deep brain stimulation surgical procedure. Dr. Witt graduated from Wake Forest University Medical School and served her residency at the University of California, Davis and her fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

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