Overview of Movement Disorders and Tremor
Movement disorders refer to abnormal movements of the arms and legs that cause difficulty with walking, daily activities, and tremor.
At the University of Washington and at the UW Gamma Knife Center at Harborview Medical Center, there are four different surgical procedures available for patients who suffer from movement disorders:
Each of these treatments has distinct advantages and disadvantages, and may not be suitable for all patients.
Content provided by UW Medicine Neurological Surgery, Seattle, Washington
Causes of Movement Disorders and Tremor
A variety of conditions cause movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and essential tremor.
While there is no known cure for these conditions, the movement disorders that they cause can be treated with medication and surgical procedures.
Diagnosis of Movement Disorders and Tremor
Patients are evaluated by a multidisciplinary team consisting of neurologists and neurosurgeons to determine if a surgical procedure is appropriate for the treatment of their movement disorder.
If the patient appears to be a suitable candidate, further preoperative testing is obtained and surgery is scheduled. Surgery is performed using both anatomic localization and by recording the activity of the neurons in this region. This enables our team to identify the specific neuronal regions that are abnormal, based on neuronal recordings, as opposed to relying solely on anatomic parameters.
Follow-up occurs at six months after surgery and includes functional testing as well as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). If the patient had a successful response and symptoms on the opposite side of the body warrant a second procedure, the patient will then be scheduled for this.