A Life Transformed: Ultrasound Treatment Ends Man’s 30-Year Tremor

For 30 years, Orlando Avendaño, 72, struggled with Essential Tremor in his hand, making everyday tasks like eating nearly impossible. His condition affected his confidence and social life, forcing him and his wife, Iliana, to turn down invitations out of embarrassment.

But in just a few hours, an innovative ultrasound treatment changed everything.

At Delray Medical Center, one of 79 facilities offering the procedure, Avendaño underwent a non-invasive focused ultrasound treatment inside an MRI machine. Neurosurgeon Dr. Lloyd Zucker explained that the ultrasound precisely targeted the area of the brain responsible for the tremors, creating a small lesion to eliminate them—without surgery or anesthesia.

And it worked.

Immediately after the procedure, Avendaño, fully conscious, held out his arm—steady for the first time in decades.

“Oh my God, it’s unbelievable,” he said, beaming with joy.

His wife, overcome with emotion, thanked the medical team through tears.

Dr. Zucker, who calls the treatment his “magic trick,” described the profound impact of the procedure.

“He’ll go home tonight, sit at dinner, and do everything he couldn’t before. How do you put an adjective on that? You can’t.”

Covered by Medicare, the procedure restored Avendaño’s independence. Just as he had arrived that morning, he walked out a few hours later—without a tremor.