Indraprastha Apollo launches clinical trial for non-invasive tremor treatment

Delhi hospital begins evaluating ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery System for severe essential tremor, offering a frame-free alternative for patients unresponsive to medication

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals has initiated a clinical research programme to evaluate the ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery System as a non-invasive treatment for patients with severe essential tremor, marking a step in the hospital's ongoing push to advance neuroscience research and expand evidence-based treatment options in India.

Essential tremor is among the most common movement disorders, affecting an estimated 4-5% of people over the age of 40 and often interfering with everyday tasks such as writing, eating and personal care. 

While medication helps many patients manage symptoms, a subset continues to experience disabling tremors despite available therapies — underscoring the need for further innovation in treatment options.

As part of the trial, treatment will target a specific region on one side of the brain linked to control of the patient's dominant hand, with the goal of reducing tremor severity and improving hand function. 

The procedure takes about an hour and uses a customised mesh mask rather than an invasive headframe. General anaesthesia is typically not required, and patients can usually return home the same day.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals is among the early adopters of the ZAP-X system in South Asia, a technology built for precise, frameless brain treatments. The hospital is drawing on its existing experience treating brain tumours as it evaluates how the technology might expand future treatment options for neurological disorders more broadly.

Dr. Sudheer Kumar Tyagi, Senior Consultant, Neuro-surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, said that ZAP-X enables clinicians to target the specific brain region involved in tremor using focused radiosurgery, and that the trial aims to assess how effectively this approach translates into meaningful improvements in patients' day-to-day functioning.

Dr. Mukul Varma, Senior Consultant, Neurology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Delhi, pointed to what the procedure avoids as its key distinction — no metal frame, no extensive preparation and no prolonged recovery. He described a process where a patient walks in, completes the session and walks out, adding that for someone living with a severe, long-standing tremor, that difference matters considerably.