Helping Parkinson’s Patients Get Back to Life: Dr. Lloyd Zucker

When you live with Parkinson’s disease, every movement matters. The simple act of buttoning a shirt, eating or writing your name can become a daily challenge. For many people, medications eventually stop working as well, and traditional surgeries can feel daunting.

That’s why the work of Dr. Lloyd Zucker is so extraordinary. He’s helping lead a medical revolution — one that’s giving people with Parkinson’s new hope, without the need for incisions or implants.

A Breakthrough Without a Scalpel

Dr. Zucker, Chief of Neurosurgery at Delray Medical Center, has been at the forefront of bringing MR-guided focused ultrasound — or FUS — to people living with Parkinson’s disease.

This treatment uses sound waves, guided by MRI, to precisely target the part of the brain responsible for abnormal movement. There are no scalpels, no implants, no anesthesia — just sound waves and science working together to restore balance and control.

Most patients are awake during the procedure, can talk to their care team throughout, and go home the same day. Many notice improvement in their tremor or stiffness immediately after treatment.

A Pioneer Behind a Game-Changing FDA Approval

Dr. Zucker played a pivotal role in the clinical work and advocacy that led to the FDA’s approval of staged, bilateral focused ultrasound treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

His leadership helped prove that focused ultrasound is safe, effective, and life-changing for patients whose symptoms no longer respond to medication. This means that, for the first time, eligible patients can receive treatment on both sides of the brain — with each side treated at least six months apart — helping them regain more control over movement and quality of life.

Real Patients. Real Results.

One patient, Marie Baker, remembers her experience clearly:

“From the minute I walked in the door, the lady behind the counter said to me, ‘Your life is about to change.’ And she was so right.”

Her words reflect what so many patients feel after focused ultrasound — relief, peace, and a sense of finally getting their lives back.

In clinical studies sponsored by Insightec, the company behind the Exablate Neuro system, patients experienced meaningful improvements in motor symptoms and daily function, with results lasting at least 12 months.

Why This Matters Now

Parkinson’s disease is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, affecting over 1 million Americans, and that number is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030.

Yet fewer than 2% of eligible patients receive advanced therapies — often because traditional options like deep brain stimulation require surgery, implants, or lengthy recovery times.

Focused ultrasound changes that. It’s incisionless, low-risk, and fast, giving more people access to care — especially those who may not be candidates for invasive surgery.

“Invisible Therapy. Visible Results.”

Dr. Zucker and his team believe in empowering patients to live more freely — to move, write, laugh, and dance again. Focused ultrasound offers the possibility of relief without the fear of a long recovery.

As one of the pioneering neurosurgeons behind its approval, Dr. Lloyd Zucker has helped make this invisible therapy a visible triumph for people living with Parkinson’s.

No scalpels. No implants. Just results.

Get back to life — the way Dr. Zucker envisioned. Every sound wave guided by Dr. Zucker’s hands carries more than science — it carries hope, healing, and the promise of movement restored.