Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University neurosurgeons have reached an incredible milestone, surpassing 400 focused ultrasound treatments for essential tremor. This achievement highlights their joint leadership in advancing non-invasive neurosurgical treatments and improving the lives of patients with movement disorders.
Focused ultrasound is an innovative procedure that uses precisely targeted ultrasound waves to eliminate the source of tremors without the need for incisions or radiation. Michael Kaplitt, MD, PhD, Executive Vice Chair of Neurological Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, and Gordon Baltuch, MD, PhD, Co-Chief of the Functional Neurosurgery Division
at Columbia Neurosurgery, have played key roles in pioneering and expanding access to this cutting-edge therapy.
Dr. Kaplitt holds up a handwriting test for a patient undergoing a focused ultrasound procedure, assessing their motor control before or after treatment.
Dr. Kaplitt was the first physician in New York to perform the procedure following its FDA approval in 2016, and he has since continued to refine
and expand its applications. In 2023, he began treating the second side of the brain for patients who had previously undergone the procedure on one side, further enhancing patient outcomes. Dr. Baltuch, a leader in functional neurosurgery, has performed hundreds of focused ultrasound treatments and helped establish one of the largest programs of its kind in the country.
A patient’s handwriting test before and after focused ultrasound treatment for essential tremors shows a dramatic improvement in stability and control.
“We are thrilled to reach this milestone and to see firsthand the life-changing impact of focused ultrasound,” said Dr. Kaplitt. “Patients who once struggled with severe tremors can now regain control over their movements, improving their quality of life in ways that were previously unimaginable.”
Dr. Baltuch echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the broader implications of the procedure. “This technology is not only revolutionizing the
treatment of essential tremor but also holds great promise for conditions like Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and even certain psychiatric
disorders. We are just beginning to tap into its full potential.
Patients who have undergone focused ultrasound often describe it as transformative. Many report immediate and dramatic reductions in tremors, enabling them to perform everyday tasks—such as eating, writing, or drinking from a glass—without difficulty for the first time in years.
As Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia Neurosurgery continue to lead in this space, both institutions are actively researching new applications for focused ultrasound. Ongoing studies aim to explore its effectiveness for additional neurological and psychiatric disorders, reinforcing its status as one of the most promising advancements in modern neurosurgery.
For those interested in learning more about focused ultrasound or scheduling a consultation, please contact Weill Cornell Medicine at 212-746-4966 or email neurosurgery-fus@med.cornell.edu.