Last Tuesday was a milestone moment for our Parkinson's Nurses as they delivered their very first Pro Duodopa treatment to patient Stephen (pictured) who lives with advanced Parkinson's Disease. Pro Duodopa is a very advanced treatment delivered via a pump to manage symptoms. Currently this treatment is mainly offered at bigger teaching hospitals and Excellence centres.
Pro Duodopa is a continuous, under the skin infusion treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease, available on the NHS in England for eligible patients.
Parkinson's Nurse Specialist, Sarah Higgins, said: "We are incredibly proud at CHFT to be able to offer this service to our patients across Huddersfield and Calderdale. Setting the service up has been very difficult and challenging at times. We are only a small team, with only two nurses and a Physiotherapy Practitioner covering both sites. After doing our research we have found it is mainly larger teaching hospitals offering this treatment. So to be able to offer it locally to our patients is a big achievement for our team.
"To be able to offer this treatment to our patients can potentially change their lives. This new therapy will offer a vital new option to patients at CHFT who aren't suitable for other treatments, such as Deep Brain Stimulation and Apomorphine Infusions, helping them to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life.
"We have initiated our first patient onto this life changing treatment and are already planning the next patient."
How Pro Duodopa works
- Continuous delivery: A small, wearable pump delivers the medication continuously through a small tube (cannula) inserted just under the skin.
- Dopamine replacement: The medication contains foslevodopa and foscarbidopa, which are converted into levodopa and carbidopa in the body. Levodopa is a chemical that replaces dopamine, which is deficient in Parkinson's disease, and helps transmit messages to control movement.
- Steady medication levels: This continuous delivery helps prevent the "wearing off" of medication between doses and the development of dyskinesia (involuntary movements) often associated with oral Parkinson's treatments.
Who is it for?
- People with advanced Parkinson's disease.
- Individuals experiencing severe motor fluctuations (inconsistent symptom control) or dyskinesia (involuntary movements).
- Those for whom other oral combinations of Parkinson's medications have not provided satisfactory results.
- It is not suitable for everyone, and a healthcare professional will determine if it is the right option.
How is it accessed?
- In the UK, Produodopa is available on the NHS, typically through specialist Parkinson's services at neuroscience centres.
- Patients should speak with their consultant or Parkinson's nurse to determine if the treatment is suitable for them.
Pictured are the Parkinson's Nurse team with Stephen who was the first CHFT patient to get the new treatment, and Fran Tindle, Parkinson's Nurse Specialist delivering the treatment.
