DAYTON — Premier Health’s Miami Valley Hospital has introduced to Southwest Ohio an incision-free brain surgery treatment that significantly reduces tremors of the hands in some people.

The surgery, known as MR-guided focused ultrasound, can benefit patients with either essential tremor or tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. Essential tremor, a progressive neurological disorder, is characterized by an involuntary and rhythmic shaking of the head, voice, legs, arms, and hands, where it occurs most commonly. The condition has no known cause or cure.

“Tremor can have a significant impact upon a person’s quality of life,” said Daniel Gaudin, MD, Ph.D, a neurosurgeon with Premier Health’s Clinical Neuroscience Institute. “Many of the things we all take for granted can suddenly become very difficult. Tremors of the hands, for example, can almost make it impossible for someone to drink a cup of coffee, button a shirt, hold a fork or a spoon, or sign a check. With MR-guided focused ultrasound, we may be able to positively impact a person’s ability to perform routine daily functions.”

MR-guided focused ultrasound is a technology from INSIGHTEC used for therapeutic purposes. The treatment uses focused sound waves guided by MRI to treat tremor, deep in the brain, with no incisions or permanent implants. It is a single procedure often performed on an outpatient basis with quick recovery and minimal side effects. Many patients experience immediate results with the potential for reduction or elimination of tremors.