Experts Urge Wider Access to Incision-Free Ultrasound Treatment for Parkinson’s in India

An incision-free, ultrasound-based treatment for Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders, widely used abroad but still scarcely available in India, could significantly improve patients’ quality of life, experts said at the NeuroNext Forum organised by the Vattikutti Foundation on Sunday.

Speaking at the conference, Dr. Aniruddha Bhagwat, neurosurgeon at Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital, Pune, said that Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS), an FDA-approved treatment, is widely used in countries such as the United States but remains largely inaccessible in India.

The conference brought together neurologists, neurosurgeons, patients, and caregivers. “Through the NeuroNext Forum, we aim to bridge the gap between medical expertise and the people who need it most by enabling patients and caregivers to engage with specialists and better understand their treatment journey,” said Abhinav Vattikutti of the Vattikutti Foundation.

Dr. Bhagwat said the treatment is particularly suitable for patients with Parkinson’s disease or Essential Tremor whose symptoms are not adequately controlled with medication or who experience severe side effects from drugs.

Dr. Gopal Krishna, consultant neurosurgeon at KIMS Hospital, said the procedure is especially beneficial for older adults because it does not involve surgical incisions, stitches, or drilling into the skull. The treatment is performed inside an MRI suite and typically takes between 90 minutes and two hours.

Doctors said the treatment can significantly improve activities of daily living by reducing tremors. They added that MRgFUS is performed on only one side of the brain to address symptoms on the opposite side of the body. Treatment of the other side may be considered after six to nine months, depending on the patient’s condition and disease severity.