Thalamotomy using MRI-guided focused ultrasound significantly improves contralateral symptoms and quality of life in essential tremor.

Commentary on : Elias WJ, Lipsman N, Ondo WG, et al. A Randomized Trial of Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor. N Engl J Med 2016;375:730–9.[OpenUrl][1][PubMed][2] Propranolol and primidone significantly reduce tremor by around 60% in 50% of patients with essential tremor (ET). When medication is ineffective or causes intolerable side effects, neurosurgical intervention may be considered. Until recently, radiofrequency (RF) ablation or deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventralis intermedius (VIM) thalamic nucleus were the main surgical options. Gamma knife thalamotomy avoids a burrhole but delayed effects make intraoperative validation impossible.1 Recent technical advances have enabled transcranial delivery of high-intensity focused ultrasound to create a thalamotomy with MRI guidance and … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DN%2BEngl%2BJ%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D375%26rft.spage%253D730%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F27557301%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=27557301&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F22%2F2%2F64.atom