A cutting edge Therapy in treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Kathmandu: For thousands of patients suffering from uncontrollable trembling of the hands, simple tasks such as taking a cup of tea, writing a message, or buttoning a shirt can be draining for both body and mind. But a groundbreaking treatment is bringing fresh hope to victims of such debilitating illnesses.

Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS), a novel, non-surgical treatment, is revolutionizing the treatment of Essential Tremor (ET) and Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s Disease (TD-PD), two of the most prevalent movement disorders that plague individuals globally.

Unlike other brain procedures, MRgFUS is not done using a scalpel, stitches, or implanted hardware. Rather, it employs focused beams of ultrasound, guided in real-time by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), to find and disable the small area in the brain that is causing the tremor. The target is an area known as the thalamus, often referred to as the brain’s relay center, which is associated with movement control.

For several of the patients, the outcomes have been nothing less than life-altering.

“This technology enables us to target the very source of the tremor with amazing accuracy,” explains senior neurologist Dr. C.S. Agarwal, one of the pioneers of the procedure in India. “In most cases, patients get relief immediately—sometimes even during the procedure itself.”

While Essential Tremor causes constant, rhythmic trembling of the hands, Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s Disease is a form of Parkinson’s where tremors are the most prominent symptom. Medications are typically the initial treatment but are not always effective and always have disagreeable side effects such as drowsiness, nausea, or uncontrollable movements. For decades, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)—a significant brain surgery in which electrodes are planted in the brain—that was the lone reasonable option.

But MRgFUS is rewriting that story.

“This is a real game-changer for patients who aren’t keen on having invasive surgery,” says Dr. Agarwal. “There are no cuts, no anesthesia, and no implants. It’s one outpatient procedure. Most patients are home the following day and able to resume normal life in 1 to 2 days.”

And best of all, the procedure requires no maintenance—no batteries to replace, no wires under the skin—and involves less risk than traditional brain surgery.

Worldwide, MRgFUS has been picking up steam within the medical community, with compelling clinical outcomes reported throughout Europe, North America, and certain regions in Asia. In India, access to the technology has been restricted—until now. Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi has become the first hospital in North India to bring in MRgFUS, entering a select group of healthcare centers in the nation with the innovative treatment. “That makes us one of only three centers in India providing MRgFUS to patients, which is a proud milestone,” said Dr. Agarwal. To the patients and families who have been living in the shadow of tremors—too often isolated by frustration and embarrassment of the disease—MRgFUS is a treatment but so much more. It is hope. Hope for steady hands. Hope for independence. Hope for a return to life’s simple pleasures. With increasing awareness and technologies, MRgFUS will become the treatment of choice for tremor disorders in the very near future, improving the lives of millions of patients in India and around the globe.