What is a Stereotactic Thalamotomy?

A stereotactic thalamotomy procedure may be used to treat patients with essential tremor or Parkinsonism with tremor as the primary debilitating symptom.

During a stereotactic thalamotomy procedure, precise lesions may be created with either a radiofrequency generator which causes a thermal injury and more recently Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Generally, the target is a region (nucleus) in the center of the brain called the thalamus. Successful targeting usually results in cessation or improvement of the tremor.