Procedure Provides Advanced Treatment for Essential Tremor

UCF Lake Nona Medical Center announced today it is the first hospital in Central Florida to provide incisionless brain surgery to treat essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease unable to be controlled with medication.

Essential tremor (ET) is a progressive, neurological disease characterized by tremor, most often of the hands or arms, which can make daily activities challenging. Nearly 10 million Americans are estimated to have ET, which is 10 times the number of people living with Parkinson’s disease. Tremors are the primary symptom that has the most severe impact on the daily activities of Parkinson’s patients, with about 10 percent of patients experiencing them.

Using focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, the innovative, scalpel-free therapy directs targeted sound wave energy deep into the brain, treating the tissue that causes a tremor. No surgical incision or anesthesia are required, and many patients experience immediate improvement with minimal complications reported.

“For patients who qualify, MR-guided focused ultrasound provides an incisionless treatment option, performed on an outpatient basis with short recovery time and often immediate results,” said Dr. Nizam Razack, MD, JD, FAANS, FACS, neurosurgeon at UCF Lake Nona Medical Center. “Not only are we the first hospital in Central Florida to offer focused ultrasound for essential tremor, we’re also one of the very few centers nationally capable of providing the procedure. By expanding access to this treatment here in our region, we can help restore independence and provide relief for individuals suffering from debilitating and progressive tremors.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this procedure in 2016 as an alternative to deep brain stimulation (DBS), a more invasive form of treatment. MR-guided focused ultrasound benefits include:

• Substantial and nearly instant reduction in hand tremors
• Reduced risk of infection, as the outpatient procedure is incisionless
• Quicker recovery time with patients returning to daily activities within days

“When we opened UCF Lake Nona Medical Center in March, we made a commitment to the residents of Lake Nona and surrounding communities to not only increase access to excellent, patient-centered care in the region, but also to bring innovative technology, treatments and tools to Greater Orlando,” said Wendy Brandon, CEO of UCF Lake Nona Medical Center. “The launch of our incisionless brain surgery program demonstrates that commitment. We are proud to bring this revolutionary procedure to Central Florida and look forward to the tremendous impact it will have on improving the lives of our patients.”

To learn more, please visit ucflakenonamedicalcenter.com/service/neurological-services.