ExAblate Transcranial MRgFUS of the Subthalamic Nucleus for Treatment of Parkinson's Disease



Status:Active, not recruiting
Conditions:Parkinsons Disease
Therapuetic Areas:Neurology
Healthy:No
Age Range:30 - Any
Updated:8/12/2018
Start Date:September 2014
End Date:December 2019

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A Randomized Feasibility Clinical Trial of the Management of the Medically-Refractory Motor Symptoms of Advanced Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease With Unilateral Lesioning of the Subthalamic Nucleus Using the ExAblate Transcranial System

This is primarily a safety protocol to evaluate the safety of subthalamotomy using
Transcranial ExAblate for treatment of Parkinson's Disease (PD) motor features.

This study is designed as a prospective, randomized, double-blind (to subjects and
examiners), two-arm (ExAblate treated arm vs ExAblate Sham treated control arm) feasibility
study. All treated subjects will be followed for 12 months.

Data will be collected to establish the basic safety and clinical efficacy of this type of
treatment as the basis for later studies that will evaluate the full clinical efficacy.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Men and women, age 30 years and older

2. Subjects who are able and willing to give informed consent and able to attend all
study visits

3. Subjects with a diagnosis of idiopathic PD by UK Brain Bank Criteria as confirmed by a
movement disorder neurologist at the site

4. Levodopa responsive as defined by at least a 30% reduction in MDS-UPDRS motor
sub-scale in the ON vs OFF medication state

5. Disabling motor clinical features not optimally controlled by an adequate medication
prescription. An adequate medication prescription is defined as a therapeutic dose of
each medication or the development of side effects as the medication dose is titrated

6. Predominant disability from one side of the body (i.e unilateral or markedly
asymmetric disease) as determined by movement disorders neurologist and neurosurgeon

7. Subjects should be on a stable dose of all PD medications for 30 days prior to study
entry

8. Subthalamic nucleus is visible on MRI so that it can be targeted by the ExAblate
device

9. Subjects should have a Screening motor assessment of ≥ 35 while OFF medications on the
MDS-UPDRS

10. Subject is able to communicate sensations during the ExAblate Transcranial procedure

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Hoehn and Yahr stage in the ON medication state of 2.5 or greater

2. Presence of severe dyskinesia as noted by a score of 3 or 4 on questions 4.1 and 4.2
of the MDS-UPDRS

3. Presence of other central neurodegenerative disease suspected on neurological
examination. These include: multisystem atrophy, progressive supranuclear palsy,
corticobasal syndrome, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Alzheimer's disease

4. Any suspicion that Parkinsonian symptoms are a side effect from neuroleptic
medications

5. Subjects who have had deep brain stimulation or a prior stereotactic ablation of the
basal ganglia

6. Presence of significant cognitive impairment defined as score ≤ 21 on the Montreal
Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) or Mattis Dementia Rating Scale of 120 or lower

7. Unstable psychiatric disease, defined as active uncontrolled depressive symptoms,
psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, or suicidal ideation. Subjects with stable,
chronic anxiety or depressive disorders may be included provided their medications
have been stable for at least 60 days prior to study entry and if deemed appropriately
managed by the site neuropsychologist

8. Subjects with significant depression as determined following a comprehensive
assessment by a neuropsychologist. Significant depression is being defined
quantitatively as a score of greater than 14 on the Beck Depression Inventory

9. Legal incapacity or limited legal capacity as determined by the neuropsychologist

10. Subjects exhibiting any behavior(s) consistent with ethanol or substance abuse as
defined by the criteria outlined in the DSM-IV as manifested by one (or more) of the
following occurring within the preceding 12 month period:

1. Recurrent substance use resulting in a failure to fulfill major role obligations
at work, school, or home (such as repeated absences or poor work performance
related to substance use; substance-related absences, suspensions, or expulsions
from school; or neglect of children or household)

2. Recurrent substance use in situations in which it is physically hazardous (such
as driving an automobile or operating a machine when impaired by substance use)

3. Recurrent substance-related legal problems (such as arrests for substance related
disorderly conduct)

4. Continued substance use despite having persistent or recurrent social or
interpersonal problems caused or exacerbated by the effects of the substance (for
example, arguments with spouse about consequences of intoxication and physical
fights)

11. Subjects with unstable cardiac status including:

1. Unstable angina pectoris on medication

2. Subjects with documented myocardial infarction within six months of protocol
entry

3. Significant congestive heart failure defined with ejection fraction < 40

4. Subjects with unstable ventricular arrhythmias

5. Subjects with atrial arrhythmias that are not rate-controlled

12. Severe hypertension (diastolic BP > 100 on medication)

13. History of or current medical condition resulting in abnormal bleeding and/or
coagulopathy

14. Receiving anticoagulant (e.g. warfarin) or antiplatelet (e.g. aspirin) therapy within
one week of focused ultrasound procedure or drugs known to increase risk or hemorrhage
(e.g. Avastin) within one month of focused ultrasound procedure

15. Subjects with risk factors for intraoperative or postoperative bleeding as indicated
by: platelet count less than 100,000 per cubic millimeter, a documented clinical
coagulopathy, or INR coagulation studies exceeding the institution's laboratory
standard

16. Patient with severely impaired renal function with estimated glomerular filtration
rate <30 mL/min/1.73m2 (or per local standards should that be more restrictive) and/or
who is on dialysis

17. Subjects with standard contraindications for MR imaging such as non-MRI compatible
implanted metallic devices including cardiac pacemakers, size limitations, etc.

18. Significant claustrophobia that cannot be managed with mild medication

19. Subjects who weigh more than the upper weight limit of the MR table and who cannot fit
into the MR scanner

20. Subjects who are not able or willing to tolerate the required prolonged stationary
supine position during treatment

21. History of intracranial hemorrhage

22. History of multiple strokes, or a stroke within past 6 months

23. Subjects with a history of seizures within the past year

24. Subjects with brain tumors

25. Subjects with intracranial aneurysms requiring treatment or arterial venous
malformations (AVMs) requiring treatment

26. Are participating or have participated in another clinical trial in the last 30 days

27. Any illness that in the investigator's opinion preclude participation in this study

28. Subjects unable to communicate with the investigator and staff

29. Pregnancy or lactation

30. Subjects who have an overall Skull Density Ration lower than 0.40 as calculated from
the screening CT
We found this trial at
1
site
Charlottesville, Virginia 22903
(434) 924-0311
Principal Investigator: William Jeff Elias, MD
Phone: 434-982-6455
University of Virginia The University of Virginia is distinctive among institutions of higher education. Founded...
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mi
from
Charlottesville, VA
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