Vattikuti Foundation & AIIMS join hands to offer succor to Parkinson’s, Essential Tremors patients

New Delhi: The Vattikuti Foundation, a leading organisation dedicated to advancing medical technology, hosted the symposium “Transforming Neuroscience: MR-Guided HIFU – A Game Changer” on February 12 in Delhi.

The event culminated in the Foundation’s donation of a state-of-the-art Insightec MR-Guided HIFU (Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound) system, along with five years of service support, to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi.

The symposium brought together leading neurologists, neurosurgeons, and researchers from across India and the United States to explore the transformative potential of MR-guided HIFU in treating a range of neurological disorders.

The technology offers a non-invasive alternative to traditional surgery, using focused ultrasound waves guided by MRI to target and treat specific areas of the brain precisely.  This approach holds immense promise for patients with conditions such as essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and neuropathic pain.  Furthermore, the technology has potential applications in treating movement disorders, substance abuse, OCD, and blood-brain barrier disruption for enhanced drug delivery.

Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO, Vattikuti Foundation, said, “We are at the forefront of a medical revolution with focused ultrasound technology, currently FDA-approved for essential tremors and Parkinsonian tremors, but with immense potential beyond. This technology precisely locates and targets affected areas. The treatment from this equipment in private sector typically costs around ₹20 lakh per patient, making accessibility a challenge. Our foundation aims to subsidize treatments, reducing patient costs to ₹5 lakhs at AIIMS. We are also trying to secure funding from other institutes to advance research and expand non-invasive treatment options.”

The symposium featured presentations from renowned experts, including Dr. Daniel Roque and Dr. Vibhor Krishna from the University of North Carolina, and Dr. Augusto Grinspan, Chief Medical Officer Insightec.  Indian experts, including Dr. Roopa Rajan, Dr. Manjari Tripathi, and Professor Shailesh Gaikwad from AIIMS, also shared their insights and experiences.

Maurice Ferre, President, Insightec, expressed, “I’m honored to be here in Delhi at AIIMS for the inauguration of this remarkable collaboration with The Vattikuti Foundation. Our partnership with AIIMS and Insightec marks a transformative step in incision-free surgery, bringing advanced technology to India. We are committed to treating movement disorders like essential tremors and Parkinson’s, improving millions of lives. This is just the beginning as we aim to expand into new indications like epilepsy, leveraging world-class research. With strong collaboration between industry , and AIIMS, we are building a platform that will make a lasting impact on healthcare and could potentially allow us to develop treatments that are specifically targeted for the population of India. We’re excited for this journey ahead.”

The discussions during the symposium focused on the current status of neurological treatments in India, the advantages of MR-guided HIFU, and the future of neuroimaging in minimally invasive neurosurgical interventions.

“This technology is a game changer because it is bloodless and goes beyond Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor. The future lies in treating epilepsy, psychiatric disorders like OCD, and more. The ability to non-invasively, modify brain networks using ultrasonic energy is just the beginning. We are only at the tip of the iceberg, ready to unlock immense benefits for patients”, commented Dr Manjari Tripathi, Head of Department-Neurology, AIIMS

A session was held at AIIMS, Delhi in the morning, where Dr. Roopa Rajan MD, DM, AIIMS presented her speech. During the conference, Professor Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, delivered a special vote of thanks and facilitated Raj Vattikuti, President, Mrs. Padma Vattikuti, Mr. Abhinav Vattikuti, Mahendra Bhandari, and Mr. Maurice Ferre, President of Insightec, presenting them with a shield in recognition of their invaluable contributions.

Along with a panel forum on the prospects and difficulties of MR Guided HIFU India, there was also a public lecture on the non-surgical management of neuropathic problems by well-known international speakers. The last part of the symposium was followed by a networking dinner where conversations on the future of neuroscience continued.