Gamma knife is considered "gold standard" of stereotactic radiosurgery, which makes it possible to treat the patients with the brain tumours without blood and operation.
Gamma knife treats the patient's brain tissue with gamma rays without damaging healthy tissues. Radiation, applied during treatment, prevents their reproduction by affecting the DNA of the cells.
And in vascular diseases, it clogs abnormal blood vessels and prevents bleeding in this area. Gamma knife is used to treat both benign (meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, acoustic neuromas), malign (brain metastases, glial tumours) tumours and vascular (arterivenosis, malformations), functional (trigeminal neurology, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy) brain diseases. Gamma knife is a method of the treatment without blood, pain, shaving hair, which provides quick return to everyday life, does not require a stay in a hospital. As we know, Gamma knife is usually used to treat the tumours of 3-3. 5 mm in size. However, using the best Gamma Knife Icon device, it is able to treat the tumours of 5-5. 5 mm in size without any cuts, wounds.
QUESTIONS FROM YOU
*How is Gamma knife applied?
First, the surgeon puts under local anaesthesia stereotactic frame on the patient's head. If necessary, a mask is used instead of a frame. The masks are made individually for each person. Then, by means of special computer program, a plan is made for gamma rays to be applied in the sickly area. Once the treatment planning specifically assigned to each patient, is completed, the gamma knife treatment process begins, which continues for 1 hour at 15-minute intervals. After the procedure, the patient is monitored by the doctors for several hours, and then discharged from the hospital on the same day.
*Is the anaesthesia used in the treatment with gamma knife?
When treating with gamma knife, only local anaesthesia is used. In such a case, the patient does not lose consciousness. In some cases, general anaesthesia is used for little children.
* For the treatment of which diseases is the gamma knife used?
Gamma knife has five main areas of use: benign tumours, malign tumours, cerebrovascular disorders, functional diseases, and intraocular tumours.
*When using the gamma knife, is the hair shaved off or is there any cases of hair loss?
Nobody needs to shave his/ her hair before the procedure with the gamma knife. Sometimes, in rare cases, hair loss may occur after the procedure in restricted areas. It is normal, and after a while lost hair is restored.
*Is the gamma knife able to be used during pregnancy?
Gamma knife is used during pregnancy. However, if the patient's state is not so critical, the use of the gamma knife is not so desirable.
*How long after the use of the gamma knife the patient stay at the hospital?
After the procedure with Gamma knife, the patient is monitored by the doctors for several hours, and then discharged from the hospital on the same day.
*Are there age restrictions for treatment?
When using the gamma knife, there are no specific age restrictions: it is able to be used for both children and adults
*What are side effects after using the Gamma knife?
One of the most common complaints after the procedure with the Gamma knife is headache. Headaches do not last long, and it is normal.
*Is the Gamma knife procedure harmful to other parts of body?
Gamma knife is a treatment method that targets only diseased brain tissues, while surrounding healthy tissues and other organs do not suffer from it.
*Is it possible to fly long distances after using the gamma knife?
Gamma knife does not cause any problems with the patient's health when flying long distances a few days after the procedure.
*What are benign brain tumours that are treated with the gamma knife?
The following benign brain tumours are the most commonly treated: meningiomas, acoustic neuromas - schwannomas, and pituitary adenomas. Along with this, other benign tumours of the brain are also treated with the gamma knife.
*Is the gamma knife used in AVM?
The AVM eventually decreases in size, and then disappears altogether within 2-3 years after treatment with the Gamma knife. Large- volume AVMs can also be treated with the gamma knife.