A groundbreaking procedure at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) is bringing hope to people with advanced Parkinson’s disease—without the need for surgery or incisions.
In August, a 76-year-old woman from Arkansas became the first person in the U.S. to receive this treatment outside of a clinical trial.
The procedure uses high-frequency focused ultrasound (HIFU), a technology that directs over 1,000 beams of sound through the skull to a tiny target in the brain.
It creates a small, precise lesion in the brain area responsible for Parkinson’s symptoms—without any cutting, anesthesia, or hospital stay. The entire treatment takes about an hour and is guided in real time by MRI.
For Carolina Palacios de Ramirez, who had suffered from Parkinson’s for seven years, the results were immediate and life-changing. Just an hour after the procedure, she was able to smile again—something the disease had taken from her.
She cried tears of joy and said she felt light and calm for the first time in years. Since then, her confidence has grown and she enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren, cooking, walking, and being outdoors.
Dr. Daniel Cleary, who performed the procedure, has now treated four patients using HIFU. The method was recently approved by the FDA in July 2025 for treating advanced Parkinson’s and is expected to serve many patients who aren’t good candidates for deep brain stimulation (DBS)—a more traditional treatment that involves surgically implanting a device in the brain.
HIFU is not meant to replace DBS, but it offers a new option for people who either cannot or do not want to go through surgery. DBS remains an excellent treatment for many patients and allows doctors to adjust the stimulation levels over time.
But for people like Ramirez, who were hesitant about undergoing surgery, focused ultrasound provides a minimally invasive alternative with powerful results.
OHSU has already been using HIFU to treat essential tremor, a different but related condition, since 2022. Over 400 patients have benefited from that treatment. Expanding HIFU to Parkinson’s increases the number of people who may benefit from the incisionless approach.
Parkinson’s causes not only tremors but also muscle stiffness and slow movements, and it can be much more disabling than essential tremor.
Dr. Delaram Safarpour, a neurology professor at OHSU, explained that the brain areas involved in Parkinson’s and essential tremor are different, but thanks to advances in technology, doctors can now target both.
Ramirez had tried medication and physical therapy with little success before coming to OHSU. She and her daughter found the HIFU treatment online and connected with the team in Portland. Nurse coordinator Christine Larsen helped them make the journey from Arkansas to Oregon, where Ramirez received the care that changed her life.
She now encourages others facing similar challenges to not give up hope. “If you’re scared, like I was, trust the doctors at OHSU. This treatment gave me my smile back and changed my life,” she said.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies about Parkinson’s gene variant is found predominantly in people of African ancestry and research shows a dangerous cause of Parkinson’s disease.
If you care about Parkinson’s disease, please read studies that exercise hormone may help stop Parkinson’s symptoms and scientists make new breakthrough in Parkinson’s disease treatment.
Copyright © 2025 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
