Riverside Health System is excited to announce that MRI Guided Focused Ultrasound is being used by Riverside neurosurgeons at Riverside Regional Medical Center (RRMC) for the treatment of medication-refractory essential tremors and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease.
The procedure uses sound waves to precisely ablate deep brain targets that cause tremors with no surgical incisions. 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 tremors with minimal complications.
“We are excited to be among the first medical centers in the area to offer this innovative procedure and transform the lives of those living with tremors,” said Dr. Jackson Salvant, a Neurosurgeon with Riverside Hampton Roads Neurosurgical and Spine Specialists. “This technology provides our patients with an opportunity to drastically reduce their tremor with little to no side effects.”
This new technology works with an existing, compatible MRI unit at Riverside Regional Medical Center (RRMC). Riverside neurosurgeons performed the first Focused Ultrasound treatment at RRMC on Monday, September 19, 2022.
“Approximately 1.5 million Americans suffer from Parkinson’s disease and even more widespread, are those who suffer with essential tremors, which is approximately 10 million in the United States,” says Dr. Jonathan Butler, neurologist with Riverside Neurology Specialists and Medical Director of the movement disorders program. “Incorporating this innovative technology into our comprehensive movement disorders program at Riverside Neurology Specialists will dramatically improve the lives of so many patients who have quietly endured symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and essential tremors for years with little relief.”
Potential patients and caregivers can visit riversideonline.com/movementdisorders for more information about movement disorders and the different treatments available, including Focused Ultrasound, at Riverside.