Just a week after undergoing FUS for his tremor at the University of Maryland, Peter Muller visited the Symposium to meet some of the leading researchers in the field and the innovators at Insightec that developed the technology.
“I am very familiar with FUS for movement disorders. But I was fascinated to hear directly from researchers at Stanford and the University of Washington about the use of the technology for other conditions, particularly cancer. I learned a lot about the tremendous potential for so many devastating diseases,” Muller said.
Peter is more than a patient himself – he is a hard-working volunteer advocate for all patients. He created HopeNet five years ago to increase awareness and provide support to those affected by essential tremor.
Peter has a strong familial history of tremors and, at 69 years old, he was affected in his hands, head, and voice. He had been tracking the progress of FUS through the research process for years before deciding to undergo the procedure at Maryland. He added, “I have been constantly looking at DBS and FUS as treatment options. I am convinced at this point that FUS is better – the major reason is targeting.”
Although Peter was very educated about what to expect, he was still pleasantly surprised by the FUS experience, saying “I was amazed with the algorithms used to find the right location in the brain. And I am so impressed with what Insightec has done and the teamwork of the staff at Maryland.”
Peter is very pleased with the outcome of his procedure. He said, “I have a right hand that doesn’t shake at all. And so many people have told me that there has been an improvement in my voice. It wasn’t intended to happen, and I’m beyond satisfied with that,” he said. He had some side effects after the procedure, including numbness in the lip and some balance issues, but he says that these are improving.
With his tremor and outlook improved, Peter looks forward to continuing to be a strong voice for patients.