Bloodless Brain Surgery
The Gamma Knife is singularly dedicated to the treatment of patients with
brain disorders. It is actually not a knife at all, but a medical instrument
that emits 201 finely focused beams of gamma radiation. These beams
simultaneously intersect at the precise location of the brain disorder and treat
it with minimal effect on surrounding normal tissue and without the usual risks
of surgery or an incision.
Gamma Knife surgery maximizes patient comfort and can be used to treat
lesions that before were either inaccessible or were treated unsuccessfully by
conventional surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
Safe and Effective
Gamma Knife surgery is unique because no surgical incision is performed to
"expose" the lesion. Consequently, the risk of surgical complication is greatly
reduced. Patients routinely receive only a mild sedative, thus eliminating the
side effects and dangers of general anesthesia.
The success rate of the Gamma Knife is unprecedented. More than 350,000
patients have had Gamma Knife surgery with no mortality and minimal morbidity
reported. Backed by two decades of pre-clinical research, no other neurosurgical
tool has met with such impressive results. Clinical applications continue to
grow, and its many benefits as a minimally invasive procedure continue to make
it the treatment of choice.
Treatment Protocol
A patient accepted for treatment generally arrives at the Gamma Knife Center
and is admitted the morning of the procedure. A stereotactic head frame is
applied and an MRI or CT scanning procedure is performed to locate the lesion.
The patient then rests while the treatment plan is developed using an advanced
dose planning program. Next the patient is placed on a special couch that moves
the head into proper position inside the Gamma Knife hemisphere for the
procedure.
Since the Gamma Knife is minimally invasive, patients experience virtually no
discomfort during the treatments. Most patients are treated on an outpatient
basis. They are observed for an appropriate time, then may go home. The results
of Gamma Knife radiosurgery appear over days, weeks or months, depending on the
type of lesion being treated. Most lesions dissolve or sclerose gradually,
eventually disappearing. Others simply exhibit no further growth.
Patient Referrals
The referring physician is an active partner in the treatment process. All
follow-up studies, treatment studies and progress outcomes are done in
conjunction with the patient's physician. This is especially important since the
effects of Gamma Knife surgery occur over a period of time that can range from
days to several years, depending on the type of lesion.
Patient Selection
Selection of patients for Gamma Knife surgery involves a multidisciplinary team
of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and other specialists. Selection is made
on the basis of a diagnostic examination, imaging studies, tissue diagnosis and
the patient's general health and age. Patients may be eligible for Gamma Knife
treatment even if they previously had open brain surgery, radiation therapy,
chemotherapy, or in the case of AVMs, embolization procedures. In general,
tumors and arteriovenous malformations should be less than 4 cm. in diameter.
Cost Effective
Conventional neurosurgery means a lengthy post surgical hospital stay, expensive
medication and sometimes months of rehabilitation. The Gamma Knife greatly
reduces these costs. Patients are usually able to leave the treatment center
within a day and resume their normal activities immediately. Post-surgical
disability and convalescent costs are nonexistent. | 
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