CHERYL’S STORY
No one gave Cheryl any hope until she read about a new procedure at Regional One Health called Focused Ultrasound…and for her, it was nothing short of a miracle.
Cheryl Peacock found ways to live with Essential Tremor for 20 years. But when the shaking in her hands got so bad that it became hard to do day-to-day activities like eat, cook and brush her teeth, she worried about becoming dependent on her family. Cheryl’s search for a solution led her to Regional One Health, where a state-of-the-art procedure called Focus Ultrasound is providing new hope for patients with hand tremors. Today, Cheryl is nearly tremor free and back to doing the things she loves – sewing, taking care of her family, and attending church, where for the first time in years she’s been able to take communion without help.
INCISIONLESS SURGERY
Little to No Risk of Infection
IMMEDIATE TREMOR IMPROVEMENT
Hand Stability Maintained at 3 Years
SINGLE SESSION TREATMENT
Minimal Hospitalization Necessary
MEDICARE APPROVED TREATMENT
Covered by Most Major Insurance
PERSONALIZED TREATMENT
With Ultrasound Guided by MRI
SAFE AND EFFECTIVE
Minimal Side Effects Experienced
Now Covered By Medicare
Focused ultrasound for essential tremor is covered by Medicare in Tennessee and many other states and by most private insurance plans. Contact your health plan’s member services department and ask if MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound for treating essential tremor is a covered benefit in an outpatient setting based on your health plan.
Are You Living With Essential Tremor?
Find out if MR-Guided Ultrasound is right for you.
HOW MR-GUIDED FOCUSED ULTRASOUND WORKS
On treatment day, the patient’s head is shaved and a local anesthetic is applied. The patient is fitted with a helmet and cold water circulates around the scalp. The patient lies on the treatment bed that moves in and out of the MRI.
Using MR imaging, the physician targets the treatment area and monitors temperature. Patients are asked to perform tasks, like drawing a spiral, throughout the treatment to gauge its effectiveness.
During treatment, ultrasound waves are focused through the skull to create a small burn in the thalamus, the part of the brain which controls tremor. This reduces hand tremors, and the rest of the brain is not affected.
After the procedure, a final MRI is done to assess the treated area. The frame is removed, and patients typically return home after a short recovery period. Most patients have immediate tremor relief.
Patient Success Stories
