Focused Ultrasound Cuts Seizures for Former Marine
A 46-year-old former Marine reported fewer than one seizure per month after an investigational procedure at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Stroke
Thatcher Carr, a 46-year-old former Marine with focal epilepsy since 2003, underwent an investigational focused ultrasound procedure at UNC Hospitals in October 2025. He reported fewer than one seizure per month afterward, down from an average of 85 before the procedure.
Why it matters
Carr's seizures had continued after medication and a previous brain procedure, so the reported drop points to a possible option for patients with persistent focal epilepsy in the Chapel Hill area. The procedure remains investigational and is not an FDA-approved epilepsy treatment.
The reported drop from an average of 85 seizures per month to fewer than one comes from a single patient in an FDA-regulated trial. Whether the reduction persists over time or applies to other patients has not been established, and the research team is still collecting data.
The players
UNC Hospitals
The academic medical center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where the procedure was performed and where the research is based.
Thatcher Carr
A 46-year-old former Marine who has lived with focal epilepsy since 2003 and was the patient reporting the seizure reduction.
The details
The procedure uses focused ultrasound to target brain tissue involved in seizures, with MRI scans monitoring the brain during treatment. It takes about two hours and is part of an FDA-regulated clinical trial.
Timeline
2003: Carr's focal epilepsy diagnosis began.
October 2025: Carr underwent the focused ultrasound procedure.
Health Landscape
Focused ultrasound is being evaluated as a noninvasive option for brain conditions, and this trial follows the FDA's investigational device pathway. Results from individual patients inform whether the approach can later be approved for epilepsy treatment.
Patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy should note that this procedure is investigational and only available through clinical trials at this time. Any change in daily treatment would depend on future FDA approval and insurance coverage.
The takeaway
A single patient's reduction in seizures is an encouraging signal, but it is not proof of effectiveness. Watching for the trial's published results will show whether the drop holds across more patients.
Further reading
For more on brain health, see Stroke coverage on Wisevoter.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WCTI.
