Gamma Knife

The Leksell Gamma Knife^® is a revolutionary tool used to destroy brain tumors and blood vessel abnormalities that are inaccessible or otherwise unsuitable for traditional open-skull surgery. The 20-ton precise and powerful unit can perform "surgery" on critical locations of the brain without surgical risk, a long hospital stay or a single incision.

The Gamma Knife^® uses a technique called stereotactic radiosurgery that destroys or reduces tumors, abnormal blood vessels or other disorders, usually without harming adjacent normal tissue. A special "helmet-like" device channels 201 narrow cobalt-60 beams of ionized radiation to converge at one point. A strong dose of radiation is produced and delivered to the target area where the beams cross. If necessary, the beams can be refocused and the procedure repeated until the entire area is treated. The procedure lasts 10-40 minutes. A three-dimensional computerized imaging program is used to calculate a customized dose plan that can be aimed with an accuracy of 0.1 millimeters.

The non-invasive nature of the Gamma Knife^® makes it a treatment of choice in a variety of clinical situations. The decision to treat is made by the Gamma Knife team after analysis of a patient's history, age, health and imaging studies.

The bloodless procedure involves no head shaving and causes no hair loss, scarring, disfigurement or other side effects seen in conventional brain radiation therapy. Because of the non-invasive nature of the procedure, the risk of complications, infections, hemorrhage or death are greatly reduced. Furthermore, since the patient is usually discharged from the hospital within 24 hours, costs are estimated to be 30-60 percent lower than traditional brain surgery.

Compared to the extended period of recovery time a patient needs after traditional open-skull surgery, the healing process with the Gamma Knife is remarkable. Patients can usually resume normal activity immediately after the procedure.

Although the effects of the Gamma Knife treatment are not immediate, tumor growth stops or reduces over time. Furthermore, most blood vessel abnormalities occlude and dissolve within several months. More than 41,000 procedures have been performed worldwide with little mortality, infection or hemorrhage related to the technique. Around 85 percent of vascular lesions are completely destroyed within two years with another 11 percent experiencing significant reduction. Of those not cured, another 8.5 percent are cured with a second treatment (overall success is more than 97 percent). No other procedure has been as equally successful.

The Gamma Knife has also been successful in treatment of benign and malignant tumors. In cases of tumors of the nerve which controls hearing and balance functions, the Gamma Knife decreased tumor size or arrested growth in 85 percent of cases and long-term hearing was restored in 36 percent of patients. Similar success has been recorded in pituitary tumors. The success rate for metastatic tumors and other treatments exceeds 90 percent.

The Gamma Knife may also be used in conjunction with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, conventional brain surgery and embolization procedures. In addition, chronic pain, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease have been successfully treated with the Gamma Knife.