Dr. Padraig O'Suilleabhain helps dystonia patient get her life back
[This article was first published in UT Southwestern MED magazine Spring 2016]
Bent but Not Broken
by Rogers Hartmann
One year to the day after her deep brain stimulation surgery at UT Southwestern, Rogers (left) visits her sister, Kate Hartmann, and niece, Harris.
Brain surgery is not for the faint of heart. Then again, neither is living with the effects of severe dystonia. Although the disorder is classified as a rare neurological condition that is related to Parkinson's disease, it's an equal opportunity affliction that affects men, women, and children of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds, and estimates of those who have it are greatly underreported and undiagnosed.