Holy Cross Hospital First in the Mid-Atlantic Region To Implant New Deep Brain Stimulation System

(Silver Spring, Maryland) – Holy Cross Health today announced the successful implant of the St. Jude Medical Infinity™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System, an advanced treatment option recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for patients with Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor. The surgery was performed by Zachary T. Levine, MD, FAANS, and represents the first implant in the Mid-Atlantic region of this new technology designed to help afflicted patients gain control of their symptoms.

St. Jude Medical’s DBS system is the first in the United States to feature a directional lead designed to precisely customize therapy to help maximize patient outcomes and reduce side effects. The lead offers eight independent electrode contacts through which the physician can steer electrical current toward targeted structures of the brain that control movement.

Dr. Levine, a board- certified neurosurgeon, and medical director of Neurosurgery and Neurosciences, at Holy Cross Health, and chairman of surgery for Holy Cross Hospital, was selected by St. Jude to be one of the first to utilize this new technology.

"The Infinity DBS system represents the most significant advancement in DBS technology in 20 years," said Dr. Levine. "The use of directional leads gives us the ability to impact DBS therapy for patients in a new way. Adverse effects that we previously experienced are less likely because the current can now be directed away from areas of the brain known to cause unwanted side effects."

Parkinson’s disease and essential tremor are neurologic conditions known as movement disorders which are caused by a communication breakdown throughout the central nervous system. This can result in a debilitating loss of muscle control, involuntary movement and reduced coordination. At present there are no proven cures for movement disorders and treatment options focus on alleviating symptoms to improve quality of life.

The St. Jude Medical Infinity system also offers new, distinct patient advantages such as being the world’s first and only DBS system operating on a wireless iOS software platform. Clinicians can streamline the programming process to become more efficient in their practice by using the world’s first and only wireless iOS™ software platform on an iPad mini™ mobile digital device. Patients can discreetly manage their symptoms with their St. Jude Medical Infinity DBS System iPod Touch mobile digital device controller. This allows a more personalized experience for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor, while delivering targeted relief of only the necessary areas.

The surgery at Holy Cross Hospital took place on October 18, 2016, and the patient was Mr. Harry Roop. "The patient had the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease which comes with a variety of symptoms," said Dr. Levine. "The cardinal symptoms that he was looking for treatment for were tremor, significant tremor, trouble with slowness of movement or bradykinesia. He was taking medicine, but the medicine was not having the same effect that it had initially."

"Before the surgery, I was shaking in both hands and afterwards there was a 100 percent reduction," said Mr. Roop. "You can't imagine how great it is to be able to hold a cup of coffee in your hands again. It almost seems surreal."

The Holy Cross Health Neuroscience Program brings to the community expertise in the screening, diagnosis and treatment of complex brain and spine disorders. Patients have access to a variety of specialists in neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-radiology and interventional neuroradiology who work together to plan the best possible, minimally invasive treatment for patients facing a variety of neurologic diseases including Parkinson's disease, essential tremor and dystonia; epilepsy and other seizure disorders; aneurysm and AVM repair; benign and malignant tumors of the spine and brain; and vascular brain disorders, brain injury and structural brain conditions. The program offers advanced surgical treatments including general neurosurgery, epilepsy surgery and specialized minimally invasive procedures such as DBS.

Note: Apple, iPod touch and iPad mini are trademarks of Apple, Inc. Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc., iOS is a trademark of Cisco Technology, Inc.

For more information about the new technology for deep brain stimulation, please contact Julie Nenichka-Reed, MSN/MHA, RN, director of Neuroscience at Holy Cross Hospital at 301-754-7803.

For press inquiries, contact Kristin Feliciano, chief strategy officer, Holy Cross Health at 301-754-7017.

Holy Cross Health, founded in 1963 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, is a comprehensive Catholic health care delivery system that includes two hospitals and a network of community health centers in Montgomery County, Maryland. Holy Cross Hospital, the largest hospital in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, is located on the Kevin J. Sexton Campus of Holy Cross Health in Silver Spring. Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the first hospital in the nation located on the campus of a community college. Holy Cross Health Network provides primary care at health centers located in Silver Spring, Aspen Hill, Gaithersburg, and Germantown and community education throughout Montgomery County.