After 5 years, focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor (FUST) continues to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with this common neurological disorder, according to a new study.
FUST, which uses ultrasound energy to targeted and destroy areas of the brain responsible for essential tremor, was found to offer long-term improvement in tremor severity, quality of life, and functional disability for patients with moderate-to-severe essential tremor.
The study, which is the largest and longest follow-up study of FUST to date, followed 101 patients with moderate-to-severe essential tremor who underwent the procedure at Stanford University Medical Center from 2007 to 2012.
At the 5-year mark, 97% of patients treated with FUST reported improvement in their tremor, with an average tremor reduction of 75%.
Furthermore, patients treated with FUST also reported significant improvements in their quality of life, including their ability to perform daily activities, social functioning, and employment status.
“FUST provides long-term, durable improvements for patients with essential tremor, and our study provides compelling evidence that this minimally invasive procedure is a safe and effective treatment option for this debilitating condition,” said lead author Dr. Vaishali Singhal, assistant professor of radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine.
FUST is a minimally invasive procedure that is performed under local anesthesia. The procedure involves placement of a small ultrasound probe against the patient’s scalp. Focused ultrasound waves are then directed to the specific area of the brain responsible for essential tremor.
The ultrasound waves create enough heat to targeted and destroy the area of the brain responsible for essential tremor, without affecting surrounding healthy tissue.
FUST is currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment option for patients with essential tremor who have not responded to medications.
The new study is published in the journal Radiology.
After years of struggling with essential tremor, many patients are thrilled to find that there is finally an effective treatment option available. Focused ultrasound treatment, which was first approved by the FDA in 2016, has been shown to be highly effective in clinical studies, and long-term follow-up studies have now confirmed its efficacy.
In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, patients who underwent focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremor showed a significant reduction in tremor after five years. The results were even better than those seen in earlier studies, which showed a reduction in tremor after two years.
The patients in the study had an average age of 68, and all of them had essential tremor that was significantly impacting their quality of life. The majority of them had tried other treatment options, including medication, but had not found any relief.
Focused ultrasound treatment involves directing ultrasound waves at the region of the brain that is responsible for essential tremor. The waves create a lesion in the targeted area, which disrupts the circuits that cause essential tremor.
The procedure is non-invasive and does not require any incisions or implants. It is usually done on an outpatient basis, and patients can usually return to their normal activities the same day.
The long-term results of the study are very encouraging, and they show that focused ultrasound treatment is a safe and effective option for patients with essential tremor.
