Zelma
Kiss, University of Calgary neurosurgeon and professor, right, with patient
Elias Pharaon. The 85-year-old suffers from a movement disorder called
essential tremor, and has benefited from technology that allows surgeons to
access the brain using magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound. Kiss is
part of the team that developed this new form of brain surgery. Credit: Riley
Brandt, University of Calgary
Elias Pharaon is 85 years old and can sign his name for the
first time in five years thanks to a new way to do brain surgery. Performed by
a team of University of Calgary physicians and researchers with the Hotchkiss
Brain Institute, magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is a new
technology that allows surgeons to access the brain without cutting the skin or
drilling into the skull.
We are able to see
the brain with real-time imaging and target a
beam of high intensity ultrasound to the brain region responsible for
tremor," says Dr. Zelma Kiss, neurosurgeon and professor in the
departments of Clinical Neurosciences and Psychiatry at the Cumming School of
Medicine (CSM). "The patient is awake the whole time and the results are
immediate."
Pharaon came from
B.C. for the treatment at Foothills Medical Centre, and volunteered to undergo
the procedure and participate in the research project. The CSM MRgFUS system is
the only one in Western Canada.
"I
couldn't believe the tremor in my right hand was gone. I didn't feel anything
during the procedure," says Pharaon. "I was so happy. It's changed my
life. I feel like I can go out in public again." Essential tremor is the
most common type of movement
disorder, and is usually treated with medication. For some, like
Pharaon, the medication doesn't work and the tremors become so severe people
can no longer dress or feed themselves.
"The
condition occurs because different parts of the brain are not talking to each
other properly, and the abnormal network function causes the tremor to
appear," says Dr. Davide Martino, movement disorder specialist and
associate professor in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences at CSM. Martino
will identify patients who qualify for treatment and conduct all the followup
work for the research study, which will include brain scans, clinical
evaluations, cognitive and functional testing, and motor and sensory abilities
over time.
Bruce Pike, professor of
radiology and clinical neurosciences, says, “The idea of neurosurgery in an
awake patient without breaking the skin is revolutionary."
"This is the beginning of a much larger research
platform," says Bruce Pike, PhD, professor in the departments of Radiology
and Clinical Neurosciences at CSM. "The idea of neurosurgery in an awake
patient without breaking the skin is revolutionary. With the use of this
technology we are looking at different treatment options for a number of
devastating brain diseases such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, epilepsy and
brain tumours."
"This is a wonderful example of precision health research"
says Dr. Jon Meddings, dean, CSM. "The future of health is accurately
diagnosing and providing individualized treatments to our patients. The
remarkable results of the MRgFUS program show how new technologies can make
precision health a reality."
The research study is being done in collaboration with Alberta
Health Services and with funding from Canada Foundation for Innovation, and
private donors, including significant donations from the Rob McAlpine Legacy
Initiative and the Cumming Medical Research Fund. At this point, only patients
with severe medication resistant essential tremor are being treated with MRgFUS.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2017-12-revolutionary-technology-brain-surgery-skin.html
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