In a new study, researchers found that a scalpel-free alternative to brain surgery has the potential to benefit people with Parkinson’s disease symptoms that are much more severe on one side of the body.
The method uses a technology called focused ultrasound and could offer a new option for patients whose symptoms are poorly controlled by medications and those who cannot or do not wish to undergo traditional brain surgery.
The research was conducted by a team at the University of Virginia Health System.
Parkinson’s disease affects patients in more ways than just tremors.
The current FDA approval for focused ultrasound in Parkinson’s disease treats only tremors.
Focused ultrasound offers a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgical approaches.
The technology focuses on sound waves inside the body, much like a magnifying glass focuses light. This allows doctors to interrupt faulty brain circuits or destroy unwanted tissue.
Magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) allows doctors to monitor the procedure in real-time – and to make adjustments as needed to obtain the best patient outcomes.
To determine if the technology could benefit patients with “asymmetrical” Parkinson’s symptoms, the team evaluated the approach in 40 volunteers.
Twenty-seven study participants received treatment with focused ultrasound, while 13 others received a simulated treatment so that the researchers could compare the results between the real procedure and the placebo.
The average age of study participants was 57.
The volunteers’ symptoms before and after the procedure were assessed on a scale of 1-44.
Those who received the focused ultrasound procedure saw an improvement of 10 points, while those who received the sham treatment saw a difference of fewer than two points.
The study also looked at the safety of the procedure. Side effects included unwanted movements, muscle weakness, speech disturbances and difficulty walking.
In most cases, these were temporary, but some effects persisted in six patients a year later.
The team says the results warrant additional studies in larger numbers of volunteers conducted over longer periods of time.
One author of the study is Jeff Elias, MD, a neurosurgeon at UVA Health.
The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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