Parkinson's patient smiles again after new brain surgery

How it works: Guided by an MRI, the surgeon focuses more than 1,000 sonic beams through the skull to create a lesion on the part of the brain causing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, Daniel Cleary, assistant professor of neurological surgery at the OHSU School of Medicine, said in a statement.

• The procedure requires no anesthesia and no cutting and is typically completed in less than an hour.

Zoom in: Carolina Palacios de Ramirez, a 76-year-old Parkinson's patient from Arkansas, said she lost the ability to smile when she was diagnosed with the disease seven years ago.

• Since undergoing the procedure in late August, her movement and confidence have both improved, she said.
• "I enjoy cooking, walking and being outdoors," she said in a statement. "I thank God every day for another chance to live without tremors and to smile again."

The big picture: High-frequency focused ultrasound is not a replacement for other types of therapies, experts said, but it provides more options for people seeking help with the disease.

What's next: Three other patients have received the treatment since August, and Cleary expects that to expand greatly once the procedure is covered by insurance.