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New treatment for Parkinson’s proves ‘simply amazing’
September 20, 2024
The man, a professor, could barely hold a pen in his trembling hand due to advanced Parkinson’s disease. When asked to trace a spiral drawn on paper, his marks looked like jagged teeth that trail off into a series of dots.
A ground-breaking procedure conducted at Hartford Hospital Aug. 30, however, controlled tremors in the man’s hands. He traced the spiral again with one smooth, solid stroke.
The life-changing procedure was the first use of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in Connecticut. Conducted by Patrick Senatus, MD, director of functional neurosurgery at the Hartford HealthCare Ayer Neuroscience Institute, the incisionless treatment offered immediate improvement in the man’s essential tremor.
“In just two hours, our highly skilled surgeon can eliminate the tremors which are so challenging and life-limiting for people with essential tremor,” says J. Antonelle de Marcaida, MD, medical director of the Chase Family Movement Disorders Center.
How does HIFU work?
The procedure, she continues, is ideal for patients who have not responded well to medications and are either not a candidate for brain surgery or fear having it. HIFU uses focused sound waves to treat the specific areas of the brain inducing the most troublesome symptoms of Parkinson’s.
The patient is placed in an MRI machine, which allows the neurosurgeon to precisely monitor and confirm where the high-intensity sound waves are delivered. The sound waves are administered through the skull on the part of the head closest to the identified part of the brain causing tremors.
Benefits of HIFU treatment include:
- No surgical incisions
- No anesthesia, minimizing potential side effects
- Immediate and significant improvement in hand tremors and other symptoms
- No need for implants or long-term maintenance
“Patients often notice improvement in their hand tremors, even in the midst of the actual HIFU treatment. The immediate results we have seen are simply amazing!” she says. For more information on HIFU treatment, go to Chase Family Movement Disorders Center.