What is Gamma Knife Perfexion?
Gamma Knife Perfection, which is mostly used for brain tumors, is a technology used in many brain-related diseases today. This technology is used in vital diseases, but takes place in a single session and minimizes surgical complications. A person treated with Gamma Knife does not stay in the hospital after the operation and does not experience problems such as incisions and scars.
As for the purposes for which Gamma Knife technology is used:
This technology, as we mentioned above, is used for brain diseases. It can be used to remove, replace and prevent the spread of harmful tissues in the brain. A beam of 192 cobalt 60 radiation is transmitted over the skull to the target area and offers the patient a low-risk, fast and effective treatment.
How to do Gamma Knife Treatment?
Gamma knife treatment takes place very quietly and painlessly. Treatment takes between 1 and 4 hours, depending on the size of the targeted tumor and the disease being treated.
In the preparatory phase of the treatment, a stereotactic head frame is attached to the patient's head. This frame keeps the head stable and is also used as a measurement guide. At the same time, this frame determines the coordinates while targeting the abnormal mass within the skull.
MRI and CT scans are then performed on the patient. With the data obtained, treatment planning is done on the computer.
When it comes to the main part of the treatment, the patient sits in the Gamma Knife chair and the position required for the treatment is given. The patient is then inserted headlong into the Gamma Knife device.
In the next step, 192 single doses of gamma rays are given to the patient and the rays combine in the target area and destroy the diseased tissue.
During the procedure, the surrounding sensitive tissue is not damaged.
Is the Gamma Knife procedure safe and what are the side effects?
Until now,, nearly 1 million patients have been treated with the Gamma Knife method. The method has been found reliable in the scientific community and has also confirmed this with the transactions made. The risk of death in Gamma Knife procedure is less than 0.01%. The risk of injury is below 1%.
Gamma Knife is known as a painless and silent procedure. During the treatment, the patients don’t hear the sound of the device and don’t feel much except the frame on their head. However, in some patients after treatment
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Tingle
- Several weeks of fatigue
- Swelling on tissue
- side effects such as.
- Swelling caused by side effects is not permanent and is treated with medication.
For which diseases is Gamma Knife used?
- Malignant brain tumors
- Benign brain tumors
- Arteriovenous malformation (AVM Brain vein ball)
- Cavernomas
- Tremor due to Parkinson's disease
- Essential tremor
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Patients with tumors located in hard-to-reach and deep regions of the brain
- Patients who cannot tolerate surgical intervention due to age, medical condition, general health condition
