Sharp Grossmont celebrates 50th focused ultrasound

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Benjamin, his family and the focused ultrasound team raise a glass of Martinelli’s sparkling cider to celebrate the milestone.

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Occupational therapy drills help Benjamin with strength and precision.

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After treatment, Benjamin is able to get back to the things he loves, like fly fishing. His steady hand enables him to make his own flies.

With the steadiest hand he’d had in years, Benjamin Ludwig raised a glass of Martinelli’s sparkling cider to toast becoming the 50th patient at Sharp Grossmont Hospital to be treated with MR-guided focused ultrasound technology.

Used to treat tremors caused by movement disorders, such as Benjamin’s essential tremor, and Parkinson’s, focused ultrasound can reduce or eliminate a patient’s tremor, giving them the freedom to perform everyday tasks like eating, drinking, writing and getting dressed once again.

Essential tremor is the most common movement disorder in the U.S., affecting approximately 10 million people. For many, medication can decrease or eliminate the tremors caused by the condition. But when medication doesn’t work or causes complications, patients are often left with no alternative but to live with the shaking and limitations related to their tremors.

Enter focused ultrasound

Focused ultrasound, a treatment Sharp introduced in November 2023, allows doctors to use ultrasound waves guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to treat the areas of the brain that cause tremors. The one-time outpatient treatment requires no implants and is performed inside an MRI scanner. Real-time MRI guidance helps ensure that the doctor can precisely target the affected areas in the brain without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.

Benjamin has lived with essential tremor for about 15 years. He was diagnosed when he was living in Indiana. As his tremors worsened, his wife and daughters began researching and learning about focused ultrasound and inquired about it with his doctor. After moving to San Diego in 2023, he was elated to learn the treatment was now available right here, in his backyard.

“We’re proud that Sharp is the only provider of focused ultrasound in the San Diego area, and excited about what we can do to impact the everyday lives of our patients,” says Dr. Vamsi Chavakula, a neurosurgeon with Sharp Community Medical Group who performed Benjamin’s procedure and leads Sharp Grossmont’s movement disorders program. “It really is a game changer.”

Feeling great with same-day results

Benjamin arrived at Sharp Grossmont on the morning of his procedure and was asked to perform a few activities. However, he wasn’t able to hold a cup of water without spilling it, and putting pen to paper resulted in an unrecognizable signature. When he tried to draw straight lines, they appeared squiggly.

Just a couple of hours later, however, Benjamin held up the narrow-fluted glass with his sparkling cider and, along with his wife, Jane, and daughter, Barbara, toasted Dr. Chavakula and his team as they celebrated not only the 50th-patient milestone but also the real and immediate improvement of Benjamin’s tremor.

“It was so incredibly easy,” says Benjamin. “I feel relieved, I feel great, and I’m mostly excited about getting back to doing what I wasn’t able to do.”

Just three days after his procedure, he even attended his friends’ beloved annual Super Bowl party. “I also don’t have to eat like a toddler anymore,” he jokes.

Rehab helps return to favorite activities

These days, Benjamin is indeed getting back to doing what he loves, including the delicate hobby of tying flies for fly fishing. He’s also cutting his food with a real knife, writing his name and working closely with Sharp’s physical rehab and occupational rehab teams to improve his balance.

Common side effects of focused ultrasound treatment are temporary balance and gait issues due to the brain procedure. For that reason, rehab is an essential piece of the recovery process. Therapists also work with patients to strengthen their limbs and hands and improve their steadiness. Benjamin stressed the importance of his therapy in helping him fully recover from the procedure and continue to improve his strength and agility.

“The staff are there to help you with your recovery and guide you each step of the way,” says Benjamin. “The focused ultrasound treatment is a great option for anyone living with essential tremor, and I can’t recommend it enough.”

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