Apollo Advances Research into Non-Invasive Treatment Approaches for Severe Essential Tremor

Business Wire India

Apollo advances research into non-invasive treatment approaches for severe essential tremor. Positioning themselves among the early centres in South Asia to adopt the ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery System, a technology designed for precise brain treatments. Building on its experience in treating brain tumours, the hospital is now evaluating how such advanced technologies can contribute to future treatment options for neurological disorders through clinical research.

For 66-year-old Madhu (name changed), what began as subtle shaking in her hands around six years ago gradually became a more pronounced tremor that started interfering with everyday activities. Eating, for instance, became difficult as food would sometimes spill because of the shaking. After years of managing her symptoms with medication, she became the first patient at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals to undergo treatment for severe essential tremor as part of the hospital’s clinical research programme evaluating the ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery System.

Essential tremor, one of the most common movement disorders, affects an estimated 4-5% of individuals over the age of 40 and can significantly impair everyday activities such as writing, eating, and personal care. While many patients achieve symptom control through medication, a subset continues to experience disabling tremors despite available therapies, highlighting the need for continued innovation in treatment approaches.

In her case, the initial changes in her hands were noticed around six years ago, when the tremors were relatively mild. Over time, however, the shaking became more pronounced and increasingly noticeable in her daily life. Despite attempts to manage the symptoms through medication and changes in her treatment, the tremors persisted and gradually became more prevalent, particularly affecting activities such as eating. Her trust in Apollo Hospitals led her to consider the ZAP-X clinical trial there.

As part of the trial, treatment will target a specific area on one side of the brain associated with control of the patient's dominant hand, with the aim of reducing tremor and improving functional ability. The procedure typically takes about an hour and is performed using a customised mesh mask rather than an invasive headframe. General anaesthesia is generally not required, and patients can typically return home on the same day.

The treatment experience was smooth, with the procedure taking around 45 minutes. She was given medication beforehand and did not face any problems during the procedure. Five weeks after the treatment, her progress continues to be monitored as the doctors assess her response over the coming weeks and months.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is among the early centres in South Asia to adopt the ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery System, a technology designed for precise brain treatments. Building on its experience in treating brain tumours, the hospital is now evaluating how such advanced technologies can contribute to future treatment options for neurological disorders through clinical research.

Commenting on the same, Dr. Sudheer Kumar Tyagi, Senior Consultant, Neuro-surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, said, “For patients with severe essential tremor who continue to struggle despite medication, the challenge is not simply controlling the tremor, but finding an option that can improve hand function without adding the burden of an invasive procedure. ZAP-X allows us to target the specific brain region involved in tremor with focused radiosurgery. Through this trial, we aim to understand how effectively this approach can translate into meaningful improvement in patients’ day-to-day functioning.”

Dr. Mukul Verma, Senior Consultant, Neurology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, said, “What distinguishes ZAP-X from other approaches is what it does not require. There is no metal frame, no extensive preparation, and no prolonged recovery. A patient walks in, completes the session, and walks out. For someone with a severe, long-standing tremor, that matters considerably.”

Dr. G. K. Jadhav, Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, said, “With any radiosurgery treatment, precision is critical, particularly when we are working within the brain. Our experience with ZAP-X in treating brain tumours has helped us understand how to use the system safely and accurately. We are now looking at whether the same technology can be useful for patients with severe essential tremor.”

Five weeks after the procedure, the patient remains under follow-up as the response continues to develop. The treating team will continue to assess her progress over the coming weeks and months, with improvement following the procedure expected to be evaluated over a period of approximately six weeks to six months. As the first patient treated for tremor under the programme, her case forms part of Apollo Hospitals’ ongoing clinical research into the potential role of ZAP-X as a non-invasive approach for severe essential tremor.