A retired firefighter from Carnoustie is “making the most of every day” after a life-changing procedure stopped debilitating hand tremors.
Ian Keir was unable to do basic tasks like make coffee or pour a glass of water due to constant shaking in his right hand after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2018.
The 63-year-old was the first Parkinson’s patient in Scotland to benefit from a new treatment to stop the tremors, and says the “miracle” procedure has given him his independence back.
Uncontrollable tremors are a symptom of Parkinson’s, an incurable illness, and are prompted by reduced levels of dopamine in the brain.
Carnoustie man’s Parkinson’s tremors cured
A non-invasive procedure, called ultrasound thalamotomy, was carried out by a team from the Dundee University’s School of Medicine earlier this month.
“It feels like a miracle,” Ian said.
“My tremor has completely gone – it’s as though I never had it. I’m now able to do exactly what I could before.”
Ian was diagnosed with Parkinson’s after suffering two years of tremors in his right hand, and said the condition made him dependent on his wife for everyday tasks – but he is now able to write again and cut his own food.
He said: “It was very innocuous to start with, but I had no control over it.
“Over the years my tremors got significantly worse. It was incredibly frustrating – I had to learn to eat with just a fork.
“Thankfully my wife is very understanding and was a great support to me.
“My handwriting was pretty much illegible – tremors affected my right hand, but I never really mastered writing with my left hand.”
The incision-free procedure used high-intensity focused ultrasound to create a lesion in a part of the brain known as the thalamus, which controls a person’s movements.
“I can pour a jug of water, my handwriting is back, and I’m now able to do things without thinking about them beforehand,” Ian said.
“Now I’m able to cut my own food. I was obviously nervous but the improvement was almost immediate.
“While I’m aware this isn’t a cure for Parkinson’s, it is a cure for some of my symptoms.
“I’m so grateful and just want to make the most of every day.”
‘Milestone’ in medicine
The international clinical trial was hailed as a “milestone for Scottish medicine” by medics at the university.
It has been carried out on Parkinson’s patients elsewhere but on a limited scale as the technology is not widely available.
In Scotland it has been used on around 60 patients with essential tremor disorder in recent years, but Ian was the first Parkinson’s patient to benefit.
Dr Tom Gilbertson, consultant neurologist and honorary senior lecturer at Dundee University, said: “This is a milestone moment for Scottish medicine.”
“We have already witnessed the transformative impact similar procedures have for patients living with essential tremor, so to replicate that for those with Parkinson’s – who may never have dreamed of having such control of their movements again – is a huge privilege.
“We are well versed in performing thalamotomy, having worked with essential tremor patients for several years now.
“However, we never fail to recognise the significance of what we are doing, and the life-changing impact it has on our patients.”
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