Surgical instrument

Doctors witness instant results as patient plays clarinet during brain op

- BY JANE KIRBY

THE signs of success of an operation being done on a woman with Parkinson's were music to everyone's ears as she played her clarinet during the surgery.

Denise Bacon, 65, experienced instant improvement in her ability to move her fingers while undergoing the brain procedure.

The change as the electrical current was delivered to her brain meant surgeons could see, and hear, the operation was having immediate results.

Denise had the surgery called deep brain stimulation to help relieve symptoms of Parkinson's.

The disease, which causes muscle stiffness and slowness of movement, has affected her ability to walk, dance, swim and play her clarinet.