Parkinson’s Tremors Disappear with Use of Machine that Sends Heat Waves to the Brain
Delray Medical Center Cuts Ribbon on New Technology
Delray Medical Center cut the ribbon on its newest high-tech machine last week, which targets brain areas to treat movement disorders such as essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. The machine can stop the involuntary trembling of the hands experienced by people with neurological disorders in one treatment using focused ultrasound guided by MRI.
How the Machine Works
Neurosurgeons at Delray Medical Center already have been treating patients with uncontrollable tremors or stiffness with the earlier version of the machine developed by Insightec. During treatment, ultrasound waves enter a patient’s skull to precisely heat and destroy specific regions deep inside the brain that generate tremors. Typically, the tremor is gone immediately, and patients go home the same day with minimal complications, said Dr. Lloyd Zucker, chief of neurosurgery at Delray Medical Center.
New and Improved Technology
The next generation of the Insightec machine, called the Exablate Prime, will get even better results. It uses algorithms, data management, and a higher resolution monitor. “The amount of imaging and style of imaging has improved … There are things we couldn’t do with the original machine that they have given us the ability to do now,” Zucker said.
Treatment Advantages
The Exablate Prime system sends 1024 beams of ultrasound to pass through the skull and focus on a point in the brain, Zucker explained. At first, low-energy ultrasound is applied to the targeted area, allowing the patient to provide feedback so the neurosurgeon can adjust the treatment before applying high-energy ultrasound to destroy a lesion causing the tremor.
Potential for Future Treatments
“What you are seeing is the next step, and the next step ensures patient safety, improves patient outcomes, and gives us the opportunity to treat diseases we only dreamed about treating … not just Alzheimer’s, not just movement disorders,” he said. “I am talking about chronic pain, addiction, neurooncology, and things we all know reside in the brain.”
Delray Medical Center’s Experience
Delray Medical Center has a wait list of about a year for patients with essential tremor or tremor-dominant Parkinson’s to be treated with focused ultrasound. The new machine allows his team to complete a few more patients daily, requiring less downtime in between.
Alzheimer’s Treatment
Delray Medical Center has also been treating Alzheimer’s patients using focused ultrasound technology as part of a study done in collaboration with Florida Atlantic University’s Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention. Dr. Arif Dalvi, physician chief of the movement disorder program at Delray Medical Center, says for Alzheimer’s patients, the ultrasound shakes up the blood-brain barrier enough to allow the amyloid plaque that builds up in the brain to leak out. He gives the patients three treatments with the machine and plans to monitor them over five years.
Insightec’s Perspective
Dr. Augusto Grinspan, chief medical officer for Insightec, said the need for his machines is increasing. “About 500,000 people have tried medication and found it ineffective. They are desperate to find a solution,” he said.
Conclusion
The new machine at Delray Medical Center offers a promising treatment option for patients with Parkinson’s tremors, and its potential applications extend beyond movement disorders to other neurological conditions. With its ability to deliver precise and incisionless treatment, the Exablate Prime system is poised to revolutionize the field of neurology.
FAQs
* What is the Exablate Prime system?
The Exablate Prime system is a state-of-the-art technology that uses focused ultrasound guided by MRI to precisely target and remove affected areas in the brain, providing patients with a non-invasive surgery option.
* How does the machine work?
The machine sends 1024 beams of ultrasound to pass through the skull and focus on a point in the brain, allowing for precise treatment of specific regions.
* What conditions can the machine treat?
The machine can treat movement disorders such as essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease, as well as potentially other conditions like chronic pain, addiction, and neurooncology.
* Is the machine covered by insurance?
Medicare covers focused ultrasound in Florida for essential tremor patients, and some private insurers may also cover it.
