The Penn Gamma Knife® Center at Pennsylvania
Hospital
Gamma Knife radiosurgery is one of
the most precise, powerful, and proven treatments
for brain disorders. It's a preferred treatment
for benign or malignant brain tumors, blood vessel
malformations, skull base tumors, and dysfunctions
such as trigeminal neuralgia – a painful
condition of the facial nerves.
The Gamma Knife is a highly advanced machine
that delivers a powerful dose of radiation to
a precise target in the brain. Patients experience
little or no discomfort during the procedure,
usually go home the same day, and are generally
able to resume normal activities almost immediately.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery offers many other advantages
over traditional brain surgery, including the
following:
It's precise: Before the Gamma
Knife procedure, a team of physicians creates
detailed maps of the patient's brain, precisely
pinpointing the tumor or malformation. During
the procedure, a focused, “custom-designed” dose
of radiation targets only the diseased tissue,
leaving the surrounding healthy tissue intact.
It's safe: Gamma Knife radiosurgery
has a 30-year track record and has been used
successfully to treat more than 300,000 patients
worldwide. Patients generally require only local
anesthesia and mild sedation, making the procedure
especially beneficial for patients who may not
be able to tolerate general anesthesia because
of heart disease or other conditions. Because
there are no incisions, there's no risk
of infection, bleeding, and other possible complications
that come with cutting into the skull and exposing
the brain.
It's effective: Patients generally
need only one treatment to get results, which
occur gradually over a few months. In most cases,
the radiation stops the growth of the tumor or
malformation, and over time, the diseased tissue
shrinks and may even disappear. The treatment
is especially effective for brain metastases
that have spread from other areas of the body,
such as the lung or breast. It also offers new
hope to patients with deep-seated brain lesions
or skull base tumors once considered inoperable.
It's advanced: Pennsylvania Hospital
offers the most technologically advanced Gamma
Knife available. Our Gamma Knife is robotically
controlled, which allows our surgeons to deliver
radiation more precisely and safely than ever
before. It's also faster than previous models,
allowing surgeons to cut treatment times in half.
And it features enhanced communication capabilities – a
built-in audio and video system allows physicians
to see and talk to patients, and patients to talk
to physicians – throughout the treatment.
If you are interested in more information about
the Penn Gamma Knife Center at Pennsylvania Hospital,
please choose a topic below:
See also:
Gamma Knife and Leksell Gamma
Knife are U.S. federally registered trademarks
of Elekta Instrument S.A., Geneva, Switzerland.
Photo credits: Susan Pardys, Elekta, Inc.
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