Woman Plays Clarinet During Brain Surgery After Parkinson’s Left Her Unable to

A British woman with Parkinson’s disease has said she’s “delighted” after managing to play the clarinet while undergoing brain surgery.

Denise Bacon, 65, from the U.K. town of Crowborough in East Sussex, underwent a four-hour operation at King’s College Hospital in London to undergo deep brain stimulation (DBS), per a news release shared by the hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

The hospital confirmed to PEOPLE in an email that Bacon underwent the procedure on July 16 of this year.

According to the Mayo Clinic, DBS “involves implanting electrodes within areas of the brain. The electrodes produce electrical impulses that affect brain activity to treat certain medical conditions. The electrical impulses also can affect cells and chemicals within the brain that cause medical conditions.”

“The amount of stimulation in deep brain stimulation is controlled by a pacemaker-like device placed under the skin in the upper chest. A wire that travels under the skin connects this device to the electrodes in the brain,” the site adds.

Bacon — who is a retired speech and language therapist — was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease back in 2014 and it has since affected her ability to “play her beloved clarinet,” as well as her ability to walk, swim and dance, the hospital noted.

The amateur musician used to play the instrument in the East Grinstead Concert Band until she had to stop five years ago due to her Parkinson’s symptoms.

As Bacon played her clarinet while undergoing DPS, this offered surgeons immediate, audible evidence of the surgery’s success, the release stated. 

The patient “had been experiencing slowness of movement (bradykinesia) and muscle stiffness (rigidity) resulting from Parkinson’s disease,” the hospital explained, adding in the release, “The results were instantaneous on the operating table. The movement in Denise’s fingers improved immediately, allowing her to play the clarinet with much greater ease.”

The release said, “Supported by a team of specialists comprising a neurologist, neuropsychologist, as well as DBS and [theater] nurses, the electrodes were connected to a pulse generator, similar to a pacemaker, to deliver electrical impulses to modify brain activity and reduce Denise’s symptoms.”

Keyoumars Ashkan, a professor of neurosurgery at King’s College Hospital, performed the procedure on Bacon.

Ashkan said, “Holes half the size of a five pence piece were made in Denise’s skull after a frame with precise coordinates was placed on Denise’s head, acting as a sat nav to guide us to the correct positions within the brain to implant the electrode.”

“Once the electrodes were in place on the left side of Denise’s brain, the current was switched on and an immediate improvement was noted in hand movements on her right side. The same happened on her left side when we implanted electrodes on the right side of her brain,” the professor recalled, per the release.

He added, “As a keen [clarinetist], it was suggested Denise bring her clarinet into the operating [theater] to see whether the procedure would improve her ability to play, which was one of Denise’s main goals for the surgery. We were delighted to see an instant improvement in her hand movements, and therefore her ability to play, once stimulation was delivered to the brain.”

Bacon was given a local anesthetic “to numb her scalp and skull” but “remained awake during the procedure so her symptoms could be monitored throughout,” the hospital confirmed, pointing out that the brain itself has no pain receptors.

Following the procedure, Bacon said she was “delighted” that she’d been able to play her beloved instrument.

She shared, “I remember my right hand being able to move with much more ease once the stimulation was applied, and this in turn improved my ability to play the clarinet, which I was delighted with,” per the release.

“I’m already experiencing improvements in my ability to walk, and I’m keen to get back in the swimming pool, and on the dance floor to see if my abilities have improved there,” Bacon continued.

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The patient “opted for the rechargeable type of pulse generator battery that is implanted in her chest, which can last up to 20 years before it requires replacing, delivering a continuous electrical current to her brain,” the hospital said. 

“The innovative generator will monitor her brain activity and can help automatically adjust the stimulation when needed,” the release continued.

DPS can control Parkinson’s motor symptoms such as tremors, but it’s not a cure and doesn’t stop the disease from progressing, per The Times.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s disease is a “movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time.”