A new treatment, executed without general anesthesia or skin incisions, results in noticeable improvement and tremor reduction in the range of 85% to 100%.
The simple acts of sipping water from a bottle or signing one’s name without tremors aren’t taken for granted at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital.
It is the first hospital in Northeast Florida to offer an innovative noninvasive treatment option for patients with essential tremor (ET) syndrome and tremor-dominant Parkinson’s disease. Michael Horowitz, MD, a board-certified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeon at HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital, has successfully treated his first 10 patients using focused ultrasound technology since March of 2024.
The FDA-approved procedure called MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy reduces the severity of ET through a new technology using ultrasonic energy to precisely target and deactivate a collection of nerve cells responsible for causing the tremor. The device is used on an outpatient basis without the need for general anesthesia or skin incisions. The groundbreaking procedure results in noticeable improvement with, tremor reduction in the range of 85% to 100%.
“Patients usually experience an immediate elimination or significant reduction of their tremors, leave the hospital two hours after treatment completion, and are able to return to normal activities without delay. If individuals have tremors in both arms, the second arm can be treated nine months after the first treatment is completed,” says Dr. Horowitz.
How it works
During treatment, low energy is first applied, allowing the patient to inform Dr. Horowitz of any sensations they feel or potential side effects. He can make individualized adjustments to the target. Once efficacy is confirmed, the energy is gradually increased to create a small therapeutic lesion at the site of the brain that controls the tremor.
Improving patient quality of life
More than 60 million people across the globe live with essential tremors. Of those living with ET, 67% have an increased risk of depression. Elimination of tremor makes activities of daily living easier.
Other HCA Healthcare hospitals offering this service are UCF Lake Nona in Orlando, Florida; Johnston-Willis Hospital in Richmond, Virginia; and Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, Colorado.
Members of the HCA Florida Orange Park Imaging team with Dr. Michael Horowitz and patient Robert Schlag.
“I am excited that HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital has chosen to pursue innovative neurosurgical procedures such as focused ultrasound,” Dr. Horowitz says. “These breakthrough therapies significantly improve patient quality of life, giving patients the opportunity to function more autonomously in day-to-day activities that many of us take for granted. By investing in procedures such as this one, HCA Healthcare is illustrating its dedication to the care and improvement of human life in our community.”
For more information, visit HCA Florida Orange Park Hospital’s website. Dr. Horowitz will also offer virtual webinars.
