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As the day started at a Toronto hospital Tuesday, Tony Lightfoot’s “essential tremors” movement disorder was as debilitating as ever: his arms jolted violently up and down when he held them outstretched, his finger waved about wildly as he tried touching his nose, and the only signature he could manage was a random scratch.

A doctor suggested the retired Calgary engineer take a drink of water. “Have you got a rain coat?” the patient asked.

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Over the next four hours at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, however, Mr. Lightfoot underwent a new “scalpel-free” brain treatment that involved firing bursts of ultrasound waves at the misbehaving neurons causing his condition. The results were remarkable. The 68-year-old could hold his hand out steadily, touch his nose with ease and — for the first time in a decade — both sign his name and down a glass of water.

“I can’t believe it,” said Mr. Lightfoot, grinning broadly. “I never, never thought it would happen to me. It’s just marvellous.”