These cells can then be destroyed leading to alleviation or complete resolution of the tremor. Thalamotomy is a neurosurgery procedure where a small hole is drilled into the skull and a tiny probe inserted into a part of the thalamus which is containing cells that cause or drive the tremor. About 50% of people will get some reduction in tremor though the side effects can be limiting. The side effects vary depending on the medication but can include fatigue or drowsiness. Medications such as beta-blockers, some anti-seizure medications and some anti-anxiety drugs can be trialled. Treatments for tremor range from no treatment for very mild cases, through to medications and certain neurosurgical procedures such as deep brain stimulation or MRI-guided focussed ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy. One of the messages we hear time and again from patients with tremor is that whilst others (including well meaning doctors) can sometimes say “it’s just a tremor”, for the person experiencing the tremor it can be associated with a major reduction in quality of life. In addition they can be embarrassing and in some cases can lead to social isolation which in turn can lead to depression. Tremors can affect quality of life and can impede people from eating, drinking and looking after themselves. Medications are sometimes effective for tremor but only around half of people obtain significant benefit.Įssential and dystonic tremor often gradually worsen over the years. Other causes of tremor can include thyroid problems, certain medications, and multiple sclerosis.Įssential and dystonic tremor tremor can occur at any age, even in childhood. A movement disorder specialist can help confirm the diagnosis, but one of the common differences with a tremor caused by Parkinson’s disease is that it tends to be worst when not moving and decreases when actively doing something with the arms (whereas the reverse is true in essential and dystonic tremor). In addition dystonic tremor can be associated with other features such as abnormal pulling and posturing of other muscle groups.Įssential (and dystonic) tremor can worsen over time, but are not related to Parkinson’s Disease. Dystonic tremor tends to be irregularly jerky and is associated with a feature called position specificity which means that it tends to be much more pronounced with certain postures of the hands and arms. "We continue to focus on helping transform the lives of millions of people by giving them back their ability to live independently, return to work, and improve their mental and physical health.The most common cause of tremor is known as “essential tremor” and is closely related to another condition called dystonic tremor.Įssential and dystonic tremor usually cause shaking in the hands but can also cause shaking in the legs, the head and the voice.Įssential and dystonic tremor are thought to affect around 800,000 Australians.Įssential and dystonic tremor can run in families, are often heightened by stress and with movement, and can often be reduced by consuming alcohol. Ferré MD, Insightec’s chief executive officer and chairman of the Board of Directors. "Developing amazing technology is just the beginning – patient access is critical," commented Maurice R. With Aetna's annoucement, FUS for ET is now covered by government and private insurers in all 50 states. "Today, the clinical community is able to provide strong real-world evidence in support of coverage decisions."įUS treatment for medication-refractory ET is also covered under Medicare in the US and is a covered benefit under 30 independent Blue Cross Blue Shield Association plans and 9 private payors. Jeffrey Elias, the director of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the University of Virginia. "Focused ultrasound technology has come a long way since the initial ET pilot trial," said Dr. "We applaud leading insurers like Aetna for their decision to cover this outpatient treatment for patients suffering from ET." "This is a huge step in expanding patient access to nonMedicare patients," said Dee Kolanek, Insightec vice president of Reimbursement. Rates of efficacy for this noninvasive technique are similar to that seen with invasive deep brain stimulation for treatment of these types of tremors. This treatment is availabe at over 60 treatment centers and employs ultrasound waves to create targeted zones of therapeutic thermal injury for treatment of essential tremor and Parkinson disease (PD) associated tremor. Aetna (Hartford, CT) has announced they will provide insurance coverage for MR-guided Focused Ultrasound (FUS) for treating medication-refractory essential tremor (ET).
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |