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This article examines the impact of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy on caregiver burden in individuals with essential tremor (ET). The study included 18 patients with medication-refractory ET and their caregivers. The results showed that MRgFUS thalamotomy not only reduced the need for caregiver assistance with daily tasks but also decreased caregiver burden. However, there was no significant change in ET-specific caregiver burden. The study suggests that caregiver burden in ET may be more influenced by caregivers' perception of patients' distress rather than solely by tremor severity. Further research with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up durations is needed to explore these findings. [Extracted from the article]

This prospective, open-label trial (NCT04720469) screened 16 consecutive mrET patients who had undergone MRgFUS thalamotomy at least 1 year prior (MRgFUS SB 1 sb ). Herein, staged, bilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy was safe in a small sample of patients with mrET. Keywords: essential tremor; bilateral; thalamotomy; focused ultrasound; safety EN essential tremor bilateral thalamotomy focused ultrasound safety 1559 1561 3 10/24/23 20231001 NES 231001 Staged, open-surgical lesioning of the thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus to abate medication-refractory essential tremor (mrET) has been historically associated with a high frequency of adverse events (AEs), including speech and balance impairments.[1] More recently, the real-time imaging and thermometry guidance offered by magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) have allowed for minimally-invasive thalamotomies with increased focal accuracy to address upper limb tremor in ET patients.[2] Qualitative and semi-quantitative trials evaluating the safety of staged, bilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy have reported AEs that were mostly transient with mild to moderate severity based on patients' and physicians' perceived deficits.[[3], [5]] However, a comprehensive quantitative analysis of the potential post-thalamotomy changes in stance and gait balance (ie, equilibrium), and oro-motor function is lacking. We comprehensively evaluated the incidence and severity of AEs, including changes in equilibrium, speech, and cognition, following staged, bilateral MRgFUS thalamotomy for patients with mrET. [Extracted from the article]