Stanford Essential Tremor Program
Image credit: Alexey Koza
Essential Tremor (ET) is a common but under-diagnosed brain disorder that causes trembling in the arms, legs, head, and/or voice. While the symptoms of ET can sometimes be helped by medications, they may cause side effects or fail to completely control the tremors. Patients who continue to have tremor despite medication treatment are often eligible for interventional treatments that can be much more effective than medication. At Stanford, we offer both surgical and non-invasive treatments. Our surgeons are experts in the treatment of movement disorders and are at the forefront of using new technologies such as focused ultrasound and deep brain stimulation to successfully treat patients with Essential Tremor.
Our Team
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SHC Team Members:
Front row (L to R): Rachelle Bitton, Pejman Ghanouni, & Ryan Brunsing
Back row (L to R): Negaur Iranpour, Sharmila Sewell, & Vipul Sheth
Lucie Amzallag, BSN, RN
Nurse Coordinator
Rachelle Bitton, MS, PhD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology
Helen Bronte-Stewart, MD, MS
John E. Cahill Family Professor, Professor of Neurology dnd Neurological Sciences (Adult Neurology) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
Vivek P. Buch, MD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Kim Butts Pauly, PhD
Professor of Radiology (Radiological Sciences Lab) and, by courtesy, of Electrical Engineering
Visit the Kim Butts Pauly Lab
Katrina Concio, MSN, RN
Nurse Coordinator
Elizabeth DiRenzo, MS, PhD
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Music
Margaret S. Ferris, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Adult Neurology
Pejman Ghanouni, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiology (Body MRI) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery, of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Urology
Jaimie Henderson, MD
John and Jene Blume-Robert and Ruth Halperin Professor of Neurosurgery, and Professor, by Courtesy, of Neurology
Negaur Iranpour, MD
Clinical Assistant Professor of Radiology
Shameeka Kumar, DNP, NP
Adult Care Nurse Practitioner
Charlene Lau
Patient Admin Specialist/Surgical Coordinator
Jennifer A. McNab, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor (Research) of Radiology (Radiological Sciences Laboratory)
Visit the McNab Lab
Ashwin Ramayya, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Vipul Sheth, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Radiology (Body MRI)
Scott G. Soltys, MD
Professor of Radiation Oncology (Radiation Therapy) and, by courtesy, of Neurosurgery
C. Kwang Sung, MD, MS
Associate Professor of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery (OHNS) and, by courtesy, of Music
Our Patient Stories
For Ray, a pipefitter welder, having steady hands is key to his job. His tremors in both hands impacted his ability not only to weld, but to do everyday tasks like writing or doing things with his children. When his tremors worsened and could no longer be controlled by medication, he came to Stanford Health Care and chose to undergo MR-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment. Watch to hear Ray and his health care team describe how this incisionless procedure that uses ultrasound waves to treat tremors gave him his life back.
Beverly McGowan, a Nurse Practitioner, received MR-Guided Focused Ultrasound treatment for essential tremor symptoms in the right upper extremity, at Stanford. In this personal video journal, McGowan shares symptoms of the condition affecting her daily activites prior to treatment, including results of neurological testing, and results of symptom relief immediately following procedure up through 8 days post-procedure.
Treatment Options
Focused Ultrasound
MR Guided Focused Ultrasound (MRgFUS) precisely targets high intensity ultrasound waves through the skull to a nucleus in the thalamus, an area of the brain responsible for causing tremors. MRgFUS treatment results in an immediate, significant, and durable reduction of tremor.
Deep Brain Stimulation
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) is a minimally-invasive, non-destructive and reversible technique that can help significantly reduce the symptoms of Essential Tremor. At Stanford, we are only among a handful of West Coast neurosurgeons performing DBS implantation and monitoring to treat movement disorders and chronic pain.
CyberKnife
Invented at Stanford, CyberKnife treats a variety of conditions with high-dose radiation therapy. This highly technologically-advanced form of radiosurgery uses computer technology that allows doctors to deliver radiation with unprecedented precision, meaning it treats only the affected area while protecting healthy tissue.
Clinical Trials
We offer some of the latest, most advanced clinical trials. Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.
Research
At Stanford, our physicians are also researchers, always working to find the most effective, least invasive therapies. Below are some of our latest publications: