Glenn Cristaldi
Retiree Glenn had a persistent tremor in his hand and could barely hold a fork to eat. Noninvasive essential tremor treatment transformed his life.
Glenn Cristaldi has lived in Steamboat Springs for more than four decades. At 71, he has retired from his work as a drywaller and logger and enjoys life at a slower pace in his mountain home. The Steamboat autumn especially brings the outdoorsman a lot of joy— “My favorite season is fall—we’ve got the beautiful colors and it cools down,” Glenn explains. “I do a little fishing. I like to hunt, take my dogs for walks.”
Ongoing tremors take their toll
While Glenn describes himself as ‘pretty physically beat up,’ he has been resilient, battling through the pain of arthritis in his knee and shoulder and even COPD. Despite these challenges, he was able to keep up the lifestyle he loved… right up until a persistent tremor in his hand brought Glenn’s life to a halt. “It was really a gradual process that probably started seven or eight years ago. It started pretty minor but then as time went on, it got worse and worse,” he recalls. “I got to the point that I couldn't write with my right hand, and I wasn’t comfortable carrying my gun to go hunting.”
In fact, Glenn remembers that the tremors made ‘everything’ difficult “I couldn't go out to eat because they were so bad. One aspect of tremors is that it’s really kind of a cat chasing its tail: I’d get a little nervous about them and that would make them worse. It definitely affected my whole life.”
The tremors made ‘everything’ difficult… “I’d get a little nervous about them and that would make them worse. It definitely affected my whole life”
Glenn was diagnosed with essential tremor, a neurological disorder that causes involuntary shaking. “Most often essential tremor affects the hands and arms, but for some people it can affect the head, voice and other body parts,” explains Matthew Mian, MD, a functional neurosurgeon at the Swedish Neuro Network at Swedish Medical Center. “As a progressive condition, most patients’ tremors will continue to worsen until it becomes difficult to perform tasks of daily living.”
New hope for relief with FUS
Glenn saw several doctors and tried different treatments, but the tremors persisted. Eventually he received a referral from a neurologist in Steamboat who sent him to Dr. Mian. The director of functional neurosurgery at Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, CO, Dr. Mian is an expert in the treatment of movement disorders. When he heard about Glenn’s case, Dr. Mian thought Glenn might be an excellent candidate for a new procedure—MRI-guided focused ultrasound (FUS).
“This noninvasive treatment requires no incisions and is a game-changer for many who experience the effects of movement disorders,” Dr. Mian explains. “Using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, we can precisely identify the specific location within the brain causing the tremor symptoms, including shaking hands. We then use focused heat to create a small burn to target the abnormality. Because of the incredible precision and nature of FUS, we can treat hard-to-access, tiny targets with extreme accuracy.”
FUS is a noninvasive treatment that requires no incisions and is a game-changer for many who experience the effects of movement disorders.
‘Astonishing’ results in an instant
Glenn underwent the procedure, but because of past failed treatments, was skeptical how this one would work. But he quickly found that the procedure had terrific results. “One thing that I think was incredible is my spiral test [a test that helps diagnose tremors in which the patient attempts to follow a spiral line]. My first spiral was pretty ridiculous when I went in, but when I came out of the treatment, the difference was astonishing! It was like an instant cure. I’m more than satisfied with the results.”
“It was like an instant cure. I’m more than satisfied with the results.”
Soon after his treatment, Glenn was able to meet up with his wife, Lori, in Florida—a feat that was overwhelming prior to his treatment. “I didn’t like to travel, I would get nervous at the airport, to hand over my papers and my license—I really didn’t want to do it. But this has made it so much more tolerable.”
For her part, Lori is thrilled with Glenn’s transformation, “I have been able to watch in amazement as my husband experiences the simple joy of being able to hold a fork again. I am completely humbled by the work the team did. The difference they have made in our lives is beyond belief.”
To find out if you are a candidate for FUS, call (303) 788-6939 or email us. Learn more about movement disorder treatment and focused ultrasound for Parkinson’s Disease and essential tremor.