The addition of Leksell Gamma Knife® technology at Vidant Health offers new hope for patients with brain lesions that were once considered inoperable. The use of Gamma Knife alleviates much of the pain, scarring and long recovery time associated with conventional open-brain surgery.
Gamma Knife gives surgeons the ability to treat abnormalities in the brain effectively without picking up a scalpel. Through stereotactic radiosurgery, physicians can ablate, or destroy, intracranial lesions by focusing multiple gamma rays on a precisely defined target. The technique, which has been perfected over the past two decades, carries little risk of surgical complications. Because there is no incision in the scalp or skull, there is usually no need for general anesthesia. In most cases, patients experience little pain and are back on their feet within hours. Most people return to their normal routines within 24 hours.
Gamma Knife is a primary alternative to conventional neurosurgery and radiation therapy for abnormal masses of blood vessels called arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) that develop in the brain as well as benign and malignant tumors. It is also an effective treatment for facial pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia. The non-invasive Gamma Knife procedure is especially useful for patients who are not good candidates for standard surgical techniques because of illness or advanced age. In many cases, the location or nature of the lesion makes Gamma Knife the only feasible treatment. The technique can also be used as an additional therapy when surgery and other treatments are not completely successful.
Some of the advantages of Gamma Knife technology includes:
- It is painless, requires no general anesthesia and creates very few side effects.
- It is often performed on an outpatient basis, although some patients require an overnight stay.
- A specially designed helmet helps to keep you perfectly still during the procedure, which means the radiation is delivered precisely to the targeted spot without damaging nearby tissue.
- The actual procedure takes as little as 30 minutes or as long as several hours.
- Because no incision is required and the skull does not need to be opened, recovery is usually very short. You can return to normal activity within 24 hours.
- It is especially useful for patients who are not good candidates for standard surgical techniques because of illness or advanced age or because their lesions are located deep within the brain.
- The cost of the procedure is considerably less than for traditional brain surgery.
A dedicated team of highly qualified physicians, physicists and nurses are committed to ensuring that each patient’s treatment results in a positive outcome. They will provide you with information about what to expect and instructions for preparing for this procedure. More information is available through http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/treatment.
Where to Find Us
Gamma Knife services are available at Vidant Medical Center in a specially designed building adjacent to the MRI facility. For more information, call 252-847-2611. Our toll-free number is 1-877-847-1201.
Referrals
To refer a patient for a Gamma Knife consultation, call 252-847-2611. Or you may call ReferDirect, the 24-hour physician referral line at Vidant Medical Center at 1-800-816-7264.