30/12/2020
We just received this message from one of our patients - this goes straight to our hearts! We hope you will enjoy reading as much as we did!
https://sonimodul.ch/essential-tremor/
An Uninvited Testimonial
I am a 64 year old right handed microsurgeon practicing in the United States. I can recall that beginning at about age 50 I started to note a slight tremor in my right hand. While I was able to ignore this for several years, at about age 55 I first saw a neurologist who diagnosed me with essential tremor (ET) and informed me that it would worsen with time. Over the years I was placed on several different medications with minimal if any benefits and my tremor did gradually worsen. I was still able to perform many of the procedures for which I was trained but gradually began to refer to supportive colleagues some of the most challenging procedures.
Approximately 4 years ago during a very stressful period, whereby I experienced severe insomnia for 6 weeks, my tremor took a decided turn for the worse and I stopped performing all but the most rudimentary of microsurgical procedures. I sought further opinions regarding other medical interventions and a brainstem stimulator was proposed but it was determined that I was not a candidate because my tremor was not severe enough to warrant the risk and side effects of the procedure. At the time, through my research, I became aware of MRI guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS).
I began to investigate the procedure of MRgUs and found that this exciting therapy had only recently been approved by the FDA for ET. Most of the experience with MRgFUS for movement disorders at the time was in patients with severe Parkinson’s disease. My research indicated that the most remarkable results were being obtained by Professor Dr. Daniel Jeanmonod and his team in a tiny village in Switzerland. I read the available medical literature on MRgFUS and felt certain that the procedure of cerebello-thalamic tractotomy (CTT) for ET as pioneered by Dr. Jeanmonod of Sonimodul gave the best results with the least risk of side effects. The procedure of CTT is akin to pruning a twig whereas thalamotomy as more widely practiced if like cutting the tree trunk. Before long I just had a calm knowingness that this was the treatment for me. Strangely, there was no doubt in my mind.
I emailed the Clinic and Dr. Jeanmonod answered my email himself, proposing a scheduled phone consultation. After the phone consultation, he agreed to evaluate my condition at his Clinic in Solothurn, Switzerland. Fortunately my wife was very supportive of this treatment especially as it was not nearly as risky as a brainstem stimulator. We made the journey to Solothurn whereby Dr. Jeanmonod, his partner Dr. Gallay and their team performed an in depth 2 day evaluation of my condition and identified that stress was indeed a major precipitating factor in the tremor. I was relieved, delighted and grateful that they accepted me as a patient for the CTT. This was especially so since while my tremor was devastating for my surgical career, it was not typically severe enough to warrant a major procedural intervention. Sonimodul’s approach of treating the progressive disease early in its course comported well with the universal medical principle of early intervention.
Almost 1 year ago at age 63 I underwent the CTT via MRgFUS and had no side effects and the procedure was a huge success. It took some time for my confidence to return but I am back to performing 85 % of the types of microsurgery operations that I was trained to perform. Partly as a result of my age and the fact that I now realize that stress was and is a major factor in my tremor, I am happy to refer some of the more difficult procedures to my supportive younger partners. I am thrilled to be still in the game!
The whole experience has been a spiritual journey. I am so grateful for Professor Dr. Daniel Jeanmonod and his team for accepting me as a patient. I am certain that I would not be accepted for this treatment at any of the US clinics since they perform a less effective procedure with higher side effects in which they cannot treat “milder” cases such as mine. Not only can I perform my job better, my handwriting is much better (even though I used to get a grade of C- in handwriting in school) and my activities of daily living and confidence have been restored. My advice for anyone afflicted by ET or any movement disorder would be to investigate the MRgFUS procedure and contact Sonimodul earlier, before losing confidence in your abilities to function. Again, I am eternally grateful to Dr. Jeanmonod, and his team at Sonimodul for restoring my ability to function!
Essential tremor (ET), also called familial tremor, is a frequent movement disorder characterized by tremor during action (posture and movement). An anomaly in the output from cerebellum to thalamus causes an overactivity of the motor thalamus and cortex leading to tremor.Our approach centers on ...
