Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Benefits of Gamma Knife Treatment

Example of a typical treatment plan for cavernous sinus meningioma - a type of benign brain tumor that is difficult to surgically resect.

Many of the conditions that are treatable by radiosurgery are also treated by surgery. The ability to effectively treat these conditions with similar surgical precision and results through the intact skull eliminates many of the risks and discomfort of open surgery and general anethesia. Gamma Knife radiosurgery requires no incisions, is performed under local anesthesia and is performed with minimal discomfort. Radiosurgery has therefore been particularly useful in patients with co-existent illnesses where conventional surgery would pose an unacceptable risk. Finally, as a one-day outpatient procedure, the cost effectiveness of Gamma Knife treatment often exceeds that of open surgery. Hospitalization is only required in exceptional circumstances and most patients are able to return to their normal activities within 24 hours of the procedure.

Who can benefit from this treatment? Current indications include:

• Arteriovenous malformations
• Benign brain tumors such as meningiomas, acoustic neuromas, pituitary adenomas and craniopharyngiomas
• Brain metastases such as from melanoma or lung, breast, colon or kidney cancer
• Head and neck tumors such as nasopharyngeal carcinomas and ocular melanomas
• Primary or recurrent malignant brain tumors such as astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, glioblastoma multiforme and ependymomas
• Trigeminal neuralgia

Candidates for Gamma Knife are selected for treatment only after a thorough review of all prior medical records and imaging studies by our specialist teams of neurosurgeons and radiation oncologists.