First facility in the Houston area to offer noninvasive procedure using MR-guided ultrasound improves the lives of essential tremor sufferers in the wake of FDA approval for the nondominant hand
WEBSTER, Texas — Aug. 31, 2023 — There are 200 fewer essential tremor sufferers since Houston Physicians’ Hospital, a leading surgical specialty hospital in Webster, Texas, began providing a soundwave treatment for the condition in 2021. The hospital announced today that it has completed its 200th procedure, which focuses intense ultrasound energy in the patient’s brain, heating a small area of tissue and alleviating essential tremor.
“Essential tremor is a neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable shaking in the hands,” said Heather Womack, CEO, Houston Physicians’ Hospital. “The condition can greatly affect a patient’s quality of life, making simple things like eating, drinking and writing very difficult. The procedure doesn’t require an incision or anesthesia, and patients see a reduction in tremors instantly.”
The Food and Drug Administration approved the procedure for use in treating a patient’s dominant hand in 2016, then in 2022 approved it for the nondominant hand. Patients who have had the procedure done for their dominant hand may now get treated for their nondominant hand, but must wait at least nine months before undergoing their second procedure.
Many surgeons treat essential tremors using beta-blockers, anti-seizure medications, tranquilizers or Botox injections. More severe symptoms are treated with deep brain stimulation, wherein electrical leads are implanted in the thalamus, which coordinates muscle control. The magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound treatment is incisionless and long lasting and takes only 90 minutes; the patient can leave the hospital the same day.
Patients interested in undergoing the procedure can learn more by visiting the Houston Physicians’ Hospital website or by calling 832-981-7874 or emailing at tremors@hphtx.org.
About Houston Physicians’ Hospital
A leading surgical specialty hospital in Texas, Houston Physicians’ Hospital provides excellent care for patients suffering from back and neck pain, sports injuries, chronic pain, essential tremor, joint issues and heart ailments. The hospital caters to more than 200 physicians who provide care in 17 specialty areas, including the Orthopedic Center of Excellence, the Spine Solutions Center, the Sports Medicine Program, and the Heart and Vascular Center of Excellence. It also provides imaging services and physical therapy in 14 offices located throughout the Houston area.