During your first visit to our Center, you will see a Radiation Oncologist,
a Neurosurgeon, and a nurse who will obtain a complete history and physical. In
addition to a tour of the facility, any questions you may have regarding Gamma
Knife treatment will be addressed. This visit is usually completed the day
before your scheduled Gamma Knife treatment.
When you arrive on the day of treatment you will be prepped for stereotactic
frame placement, and either MRI or CT imaging. Following the scan, you will
return for additional measurements while the images are sent to the
treatment-planning computer. If a family member is with you, they may visit at
this time.
Once the treatment plan is completed, you are ready for Gamma Knife surgery.
The treatment itself is painless. You will be positioned on the couch of the
Gamma Knife. The frame is locked into the automatic positioning system and your
head is immobilized, although you can still talk, cough, or sneeze. The couch
slowly moves into the Gamma Knife unit, and the collimator helmet gently docks
with the central body. Your whole body does not enter the unit and it will not
feel confining. During treatment you will not see, feel or hear anything, and
you may listen to your favorite music. Physicians and nurses from outside the
room will constantly monitor you. They are in contact through means of video
cameras and a two-way intercom.
The staff at the Gamma Knife Center, after taking into consideration the
doctors’, Center’s and patient’s availability, will schedule your Gamma Knife
treatment.
After your treatment is completed, the frame is removed and the pin sites are
dressed. Your family member will be allowed into the room with you at that time.
Our nurses will keep you under observation until you meet the criteria for
discharge. Discharge instructions are reviewed with family members and you will
be escorted to your vehicle via wheelchair.
Following Gamma Knife surgery, you may receive a letter recommending follow
up MRI or CT scans. The schedule for follow-up can be discussed with the
physician or nurse.
It is important to remember that no two centers or treatment plans are exactly
alike. At our Center, the family is involved as much as possible.
The experience of other patients may not apply to you. Your doctor and nurse
know you as an individual. They can provide you with the best answers to your
questions or concerns.
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