Alternative to Brain Surgery Effective for Most Movement Disorders
From: Medical Design Technology - 08/25/2016

A study in the New England Journal of Medicine describes the safety and
effectiveness of a high-tech alternative to brain surgery to treat the
uncontrollable shaking caused by the most common movement disorders.

Led by Jeff Elias, MD, of the University of Virginia Health System, the study
evaluated the scalpel-free approach called focused ultrasound for the
treatment of essential tremor (ET). Focused ultrasound uses sound wave sin
side the brain to create heat, which can be used to interrupt troublesome
brain connections responsible for the tremor.

The researchers found that the procedure was safe and effective, as well as
offered a lasting benefit that reduced shaking for trial participants
throughout the 12-month study period.

Read the entire article and view a videoo (1:59) at:
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/08/alternative-brain-surgery-effective-most-movement-disorders

Links:
Jeff Elias
https://uvahealth.com/findadoctor/profile/jeff-elias

Sound Waves as Effective as Brain Surgery at Treating Essential Tremor (2015)
https://news.med.virginia.edu/blog/sound-waves-as-effective-as-brain-surgery-at-treating-essential-tremor

Focused Ultrasound Success (2013)
https://news.med.virginia.edu/blog/focused-ultrasound-success

MRI-Guided Focused Ultrasound Effective to Treat Essential Tremor
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/08/nejm-study-mri-guided-focused-ultrasound-effective-treat-essential-tremor

First US Parkinson's Patients Treated with Focused Ultrasound
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2015/09/first-us-parkinsons-patients-treated-focused-ultrasound

FDA Approves Ultrasound Device to Treat Tremors
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/07/fda-approves-ultrasound-device-treat-tremors

Not-related:
Scientists Use Ultrasound to Jump-Start a Man's Brain after Coma
https://www.mdtmag.com/news/2016/08/scientists-use-ultrasound-jump-start-mans-brain-after-coma