Premier Health Performs 100th Incisionless Focused Ultrasound Procedure
Offering Groundbreaking Treatment for Essential Tremor and Parkinson’s Disease
DAYTON, Ohio (September 19, 2022) – Premier Health has performed its 100th focused ultrasound procedure at Miami Valley Hospital for patients living with essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s Disease. Premier Health is the only health care system in Southwest Ohio to offer this advanced treatment using the Insightec Exablate Neuro platform.
“This is a truly thrilling milestone for us to reach,” said Daniel Gaudin, MD, PhD, a neurosurgeon with the Clinical Neurosciences Institute. “From when we started offering MR-guided incisionless brain surgery to now, we have seen the ways that this treatment has improved the lives of those who have received it – it is unbelievably impactful.”
The Exablate Neuro platform uses sound waves to precisely ablate deep brain targets with no surgical incisions or burr holes. The treatment is performed in a single session under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance for high-resolution visualization of the patient’s anatomy for precise targeting, real-time temperature monitoring, and immediate confirmation of treatment outcomes. The result for many patients is immediate improvement of tremor with minimal complications.
The treatment is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective, with minimal side effects. In a clinical study, patients reported an immediate improvement in tremor, which was mostly maintained three years later. With no surgical cuts, there is minimal to no risk of infection. The treatment is a single procedure often performed on an outpatient basis, and the patient can expect to resume normal activities within days.
“We’re talking about people who have difficulty feeding themselves, shaving, putting on make-up, or who no longer feel comfortable going out to a restaurant or engaging in social activities,” Gaudin said. “It’s amazing to watch patients undergo this procedure. Once we finish the surgery, they sit up and write their name without any trouble. It’s very emotional for most patients and their families as they see the radical, rapid change.”
For more information, or to find out if a person is a candidate for incision-free surgery for tremor, visit www.premierhealth.com/tremor.
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