MRgFUS vs Traditional Parkinson’s Surgery: What’s Better for You?

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative neurological disease that impacts a person's movements, coordination, and balance. Even though a permanent solution does not exist for Parkinson's, its symptoms can be alleviated, and the quality of life can be improved through various treatment options. Throughout time, surgery became an important option for patients who do not respond to medication. With new technology, however, a technique called MRgFUS – Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery – offers a much less invasive alternative to conventional brain surgery.

We will discuss the advantages of MRgFUS to traditional surgeries like Deep Brain Stimulation or DBS so you and your loved ones can make an informed decision. We will cover the symptoms, how one is diagnosed, treatment alternatives, and frequently asked questions regarding these surgical types.

The primary symptoms of Parkinson's disease stem from its adverse effect on the brain region responsible for controlling movement and motor functions. The onset of distinct features is gradual and becomes increasingly problematic with time, such as:

•  Tremors: Manifesting as uncontrolled movements of an individual's arms, legs, and hands, which almost always begin at a single side.

•  Stiffness: Muscular tightness that occurs in the joints and parts of the limbs.

•  Slowness of Movement (Bradykinesia): Reduced rate of movement and reaction.

•  Loss of Postural Balance

•  Changes to Speaking and Writing

•  Absence of Facial Expression

Alongside the primary motor symptoms, other co-occurring non-motor symptoms that are often reported include depression, sleep troubles, memory issues, constipation, and added muscle tension.

Criteria For Diagnosis

To date, there is no definitive procedure for testing blood to identify a patient as having Parkinson's. Doctors are often looking for:

• Clinical Examination: A checklist used to assess the presence of any accompanying symptoms alongside a physical examination.
• Neurological Testing: Assessment of the reflexes, locomotor functions, and mental state.
• Imaging Scans, MRI:  Imaging analysis in search of other illnesses.

Surgical Management of Parkinson's Disease: Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS)

It is widely known that deep brain stimulation is the most frequently performed surgical intervention for Parkinson's Disease. It involves the placement of thin wires known as electrodes into the specific targets within the patient's brain. Those electrodes are attached to a battery-operated device, which is subcutaneously implanted in the chest area (similar to a pacemaker). The device helps in controlling abnormal movements by sending signals to the brain.

Advantages of DBS

•                     Helps in controlling tremors, stiffness and other forms of movement difficulties.

•                     Changes can be made to the treatment and even reversed.

•                     Provides lasting benefits.

•                     Allows for a reduction in the amount of medication taken.

Disadvantages of DBS

•                     Patients require brain surgery under general anesthesia.

•                     Threat of infections, possibly bleeding and, at times, a stroke.

•                     Every few years, the battery needs to be replaced.

•                     Cannot guarantee relief from non-motor symptoms.

MRgFUS: The New-Generation Treatment

Known as magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery, MRgFUS is a non-invasive method of treatment. The procedure focuses ultrasound waves to destroy little slices of tissues within the brain that are responsible for the tremors seen in patients suffering from Parkinson's Disease. The procedure is guided by MRI scans which allow for great accuracy without needing to slit the skin.

Currently, MRgFUS is approved for patients suffering from tremor-dominant Parkinson's or those with essential tremors who do not respond to medications.

How It Works

 • The patient reclines into an MRI machine, putting on a specialized headset.

 • Target areas are focused on ultrasound beams.

 • MRI guides the focus and monitors the temperature.

 • Problematic tissue is destroyed with a high amount of energy once the correct spot is located.

Benefits of MRgFUS

•  No cuts or stitches are made: MRgFUS is non-invasive

•  All in one session.

•  Quicker healing time.

•  Instant reduction of tremors.

•  No implanted hardware or batteries are required.