Australian-first technology boosts regional brain care

A groundbreaking treatment for Parkinson's disease is now available for regional patients at Epworth Geelong in Victoria.

It is the first hospital outside Melbourne to offer a new type of deep brain stimulation, meaning patients have treatment options closer to home.

Epworth HealthCare neurosurgeon Mr Girish Nair and his team pioneered Australia's first 'frameless' deep brain stimulation technology, using a custom-made 3D-printed model tailored to each individual patient.

Mr Nair said the model was used to guide the placement of the incisions and wires.

"Deep brain stimulation is a very advanced neurosurgical technique which is mostly offered only in major metro hospitals due to the advanced technological requirements, including the expensive conventional frames," Mr Nair said.

"As we no longer require a conventional frame, we can now take this procedure outside of Melbourne for the first time.

"The 3D-printed guide model we use is easy to transport and does not need to remain at the hospital. In fact, many patients take it home as a keepsake."

Mr Nair said most patients selected for this procedure, after a rigorous multi-disciplinary selection process through Epworth HealthCare's movement disorder team, experienced significant, lifestyle-changing improvement in their symptoms.

The procedure involves two 50-cent-sized incisions on the patient's skull and the placement of wires into specific areas of the brain using the guide model.

Unlike the conventional technique, patients are asleep during the entire procedure.

Mr Nair said using the non-metallic frame also allowed for "accuracy verification by intraoperative scans".

The wires are connected to a battery under the patient's chest, providing continuous stimulation.

It is controlled via Bluetooth wireless technology, which means the stimulation can be switched off or adjusted by neurologists remotely.

The innovative technique also attracts interstate patients to Epworth to undergo the procedure, after which they can be monitored and treated without having to travel to Melbourne.

Neurologist Dr Mina Ghaly said this made the treatment accessible to those living outside the city.

"Once patients have undergone the procedure at Epworth Geelong, we are able to see them in their home environment, making adjustments to the device remotely through an online consultation," Dr Ghaly said.

"This is a huge benefit for regional patients – the treatment is tailored to the patient's specific needs with no need for travel."

Patient Mark Geddes has a remote consultation with Epworth neurologist Dr Mina Ghaly

Mark Geddes, from Bannockburn, was the first patient to undergo the procedure at Epworth Geelong in May 2025, with Mr Nair.

Mr Geddes lives with Parkinson's disease, and prior to the treatment his tremors had been getting more severe.

"It only fixes the symptoms, not the outcome of Parkinson's disease, but I am really happy to be getting back to some sort of normality in my life where I can get back to doing what I like to do," he said.

"When the device was first turned on, it felt like a bit of a tingle or rush through your body, but now I just feel the calm that comes over you. It's quite gentle and quite a unique feeling."

Mr Geddes said he was looking forward to getting back to doing the things he loves – including fishing with his mates, sons and grandchildren.

He said being able to have the treatment in Geelong instead of travelling to Melbourne meant his wife Jill and family were nearby and could visit often while he was in hospital.

"The biggest selling point was that I am a lot more accessible to my family if I'm here at Epworth Geelong," Mr Geddes said.

"Everyone at Epworth Geelong has looked after me exceptionally well. Mr Nair and Dr Ghaly are a very good team – I got two of the best doctors you could possibly get."

Epworth Geelong's Executive General Manager, Scott Norman, said the arrival of a $2.4 million intraoperative CT scanner in 2022 had enabled more complex neurosurgery cases to be treated in the region.

"Epworth Geelong is regional Victoria's only hospital with a neurosurgery service, and we are committed to ensuring patients from Geelong and the entire region receive the best treatment, close to home," Mr Norman said.

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