Hong Kong's New Brain Procedure Stops Parkinson's Tremors
A Hong Kong hospital just used ultrasound waves guided by MRI to stop a Parkinson's patient's tremors without any incisions. The three-hour procedure worked immediately, offering new hope for thousands who don't respond to medication.
A 54-year-old man who couldn't stop his hands from shaking just became the first person in Hong Kong to receive a revolutionary brain treatment that needs no surgery at all.
Tuen Mun Hospital used magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) to treat his Parkinson's disease tremors in February. The procedure uses MRI scans to aim ultrasound beams through the skull, destroying tiny problem areas in the brain without harming surrounding tissue or breaking the skin.
His tremors stopped right away. After losing his job in 2024 because the shaking made work impossible, he now has relief that medication couldn't provide.
Dr. Jason Ho Man-kit, the hospital's associate consultant in neurosurgery, said the procedure takes about three hours and produces immediate results. Unlike traditional brain surgery, patients go home the same day with no recovery time needed.
More than 12,000 people in Hong Kong live with Parkinson's disease, most over age 60. The condition happens when part of the brain stops producing enough dopamine, making it hard to control body movements.
About 30 percent of patients with tremor-dominant Parkinson's don't get better with pills alone. For decades, their only option was invasive brain surgery or living with uncontrollable shaking that made eating, writing, and working nearly impossible.
The hospital introduced the MRgFUS system in December 2024 and plans to treat 40 more patients over the next two years. A charitable trust provided $191,000 to fund research tracking how well the treatment works long-term.
Why This Inspires
This technology represents a complete shift in how doctors can help people with brain conditions. What once required drilling into the skull now happens with soundwaves you can't even feel.
Dr. Law Hing-yuen said his team will follow patients for five years, studying how age, gender, and other factors affect results. They're building a database that could help thousands more patients across Asia access this treatment.
The research matters beyond Hong Kong too. As populations age worldwide, Parkinson's cases keep rising, and many patients still struggle to find treatments that work without serious side effects.
For the first patient, the change happened in an afternoon: he walked into a hospital with hands he couldn't control and walked out steady.
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Based on reporting by South China Morning Post
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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