Staged Ultrasound Treatment Offers Lasting Parkinson's Relief

The prospective trial, which enrolled 54 patients across nine international centers, tracked outcomes from July 2021 to November 2023. By performing the incisionless procedure on one side of the brain and following up with a second-side treatment at least six months later, researchers observed a significant reduction in dyskinesia. Patient-reported time spent experiencing these involuntary movements dropped from 75% of waking hours at baseline to just 14% after the second procedure.

Dr. Arif Dalvi, director of the Comprehensive Movement Disorders Center at Palm Beach Health Network, noted that the data provides evidence-based guidance for addressing motor fluctuations that often plague later-stage patients. Beyond reducing dyskinesia, the study recorded a 50% decrease in time spent in the "OFF" state, when medication efficacy wanes. While most adverse events were reported as mild or moderate, researchers observed that gait and speech effects occurred more frequently after the second-side intervention, underscoring the necessity of careful patient selection.

Following FDA approval in July 2025, this approach is positioned to address the needs of a growing patient population. Insightec reports that its Exablate Neuro platform has now been utilized for over 30,000 procedures globally, marking a shift in how clinicians manage medication-refractory movement disorders.