In a revolutionary feat, Oklahoma Children's Hospital OU Health has performed the world's first robotic brain device implantation on an 8-year-old girl.
Karleigh Fry has rapid-onset primary dystonia, a movement disorder that causes the muscles to react involuntarily.
The technique and particular device had never been performed robotically in pediatric patients until now, and doctors report that the result is an immediate improvement in motor function for Karleigh.
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a surgical process that involves implanting electrodes into specific brain regions and is traditionally used to treat movement disorders like Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and dystonia.
The robot enhances the surgical precision and safety of the procedure while also opening new possibilities for improved patient outcomes.
Bethany Children's Health Center said Karleigh was paralyzed and could not eat, walk, or even sit up on her own, and despite the many different prescriptions, there was no long-term improvement, causing self-injurious dystonia at times.
Together, her team at Okhlahoma's Children's Hospital and Bethany Children's decided she was a good candidate for the new procedure and advanced her care.
"This marked the global debut of using a robot from our operating rooms to perform DBS on a child, setting a precedent not only in Oklahoma but also across the United States and worldwide," said Oklahoma Children's Hospital pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Andrew Jea, M.D.
Following the historic surgery, Karleigh's postoperative care continued at Bethany Children's Health Center.
Dr. Amber Stocco, M.D., pediatric neurologist and medical director of Child & Adolescent Neurology at Bethany Children's Health Center, told OU Health:
"We are thrilled to have achieved this milestone. Our young patient is already showing promising results, and we hope this procedure will pave the way for more pediatric DBS cases worldwide."
