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MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center has announced that its MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) Program recently performed its 100th patient case.
MRgFUS is an FDA-approved incisionless treatment for dominant hand tremor in people with essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s Disease (PD). The treatment uses focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to treat the area responsible for the tremor, deep within the brain, with no surgical incision, implants, or radiation.
MRgFUS uses sound energy to target and precisely treat a small spot in the thalamus, considered to be responsible for causing the tremor. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. The result for many patients is a short recovery time and immediate improvement in their dominant hand tremor with minimal complications reported. MR-guided Focused Ultrasound is performed by trained neurosurgeons using Exablate Neuro, a focused ultrasound platform developed by global medical technology innovator, INSIGHTEC.
“Our 100th case is more than just a number. It represents a program milestone. It represents the number of patients suffering from debilitating tremors who entrusted us to improve their quality of life. It represents the number of people who are once again enjoying a more independent and active lifestyle,” said Devin Binder, MD, PhD, lead neurosurgeon for the MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Program at Orange Coast Medical Center.
Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder, affecting millions of people worldwide. It typically involves tremor of the hands during movement such as eating and writing. Tremor-dominant PD is accompanied by tremor, rigidity, slowness of movement and postural instability. For an estimated 26 percent of PD patients, tremor is the primary symptom with the most severe impact on daily activities.
Prior to MRgFUS, the main treatment options for essential tremor were either the use of medications such as beta blockers or minimally invasive surgical approaches such as deep brain stimulation. Exablate Neuro is the first focused ultrasound device approved by the FDA to treat patients with essential tremor and tremor-dominant PD that have not responded to medications.
For more information about the MR-guided Focused Ultrasound Program at Orange Coast Medical Center, please call (800) 758-5817, email [email protected], or visit memorialcare.org/OCTremorTreatment.
About Orange Coast Medical Center
Orange Coast Medical Center is the only nonprofit hospital in Fountain Valley. Our hospital was voted a Top Workplace and the No. 1 Best Hospital in Orange County by the readers of the Orange County Register. Orange Coast Medical Center fulfills its community’s health care needs with innovation and a commitment to excellence, all delivered in a beautiful setting. We provide compassionate care and personalized service to our community.
