As a San Diego leader in the advanced treatment of movement disorders and other neurological conditions, Sharp offers focused ultrasound (FUS) treatment for patients with essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s Disease.
Manage your tremor symptoms with this non-invasive treatment option
We're here to help you get back to your daily life with focused ultrasound. For patients living with tremors caused by neurological conditions such as essential tremor and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s, uncontrollable shaking symptoms can affect activities such as writing, eating or getting dressed.
Sharp Grossmont Hospital is the only provider in San Diego County offering focused ultrasound, an innovative, non-invasive treatment option for conditions where tremor is the main symptom that needs managing. When symptoms can't be controlled with medication, FUS can significantly improve your symptoms, movement control and quality of life.
FUS is a one-time, non-invasive outpatient procedure that uses ultrasound waves, guided by MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) inside of an MRI scanner to treat the areas of your brain that cause your tremor.
The FUS treatment does not affect the healthy tissue around those areas. Real-time MRI guidance makes sure the affected areas in your brain can be targeted with precision by your neurosurgeon throughout the procedure.
The FUS outpatient procedure takes approximately 2 ½ hours.
FUS offers lasting improvement for patients with tremors, and progress is often seen immediately – even on the day of treatment or shortly thereafter. While results may vary with each patient, FUS can greatly improve the patient’s quality of life.
If you have been diagnosed with essential tremor, or tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease, FUS may be an option to improve your symptoms. Requirements can include:
Your tremor is not responding to medication
You cannot tolerate the side effects of your medication
Daily activities, such as eating, writing, or getting dressed, have become difficult
Your health is generally good, and you have no serious conditions, such as heart or lung disease
You have no conditions or implants that prevent you from being inside an MRI scanner
You can remain still for the entire procedure
Once you and your doctor have determined that you may be a candidate for FUS, a more detailed screening process will take place. This may consist of the following steps, including:
Getting a CT scan
Receiving an evaluation of your motor and cognitive abilities
Discussing your candidacy for FUS with a team of experts made up of a neurologist, nurse practitioner, neuropsychologist and neurosurgeon
Meeting with the neurosurgeon who will perform your FUS treatment to discuss the procedure
FUS is a safe, non-invasive FDA-approved technology. The procedure is covered by Medicare and most insurance plans.
We're here to help
Our care team at Sharp Grossmont is here to help you get the relief you need. Please call us for more information at 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277), Monday through Friday, 7 am to 7 pm. You can also email us at movement.disorders@sharp.com.
