This new and controversial treatment being tested in Canada is also being used for people recovering from eating disorders.
UBC (University of British Columbia) and VGH (Vancouver General Hospital) are jointly testing, along with funding from B.C. Health care, the procedure of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS).
Surgeons drill 2 holes into the skull and insert electrical wires through the sides of the frontal lobes. Leaving a remote control brain pacemaker, this devise sends shocks of energy into the brain with 3 volts of electricity.
This happens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is powered by a battery pack that sits on the subject’s neck. Co-sponsoring the clinical trial is a Texas-based medical devise manufacturer who hopes it takes off.
It’s sort of like a lobotomy and people are up in arms about its effectiveness and the link between health care and profits in Canada. Is this the new fix or just another test to find a way to quickly treat severe cases of depression, eating disorders and many other conditions?
