TACOMA, Wash., Nov. 30, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) -- Gamma Knife surgery, considered the gold standard in non-invasive treatment of brain tumors and other functional problems of the human brain, is now available at St. Joseph Medical Center. It is one of only about 200 hospitals in the world using this medical technology.
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A sophisticated device, the Leksell Gamma Knife sends precisely-focused gamma rays to destroy brain tumors without any incision or surgical entry into the skull.
"For many patients, the Gamma Knife represents a tremendous opportunity for state-of-the-art treatment in their own community," says neurosurgeon Peter Shin, MD, a medical director for South Sound Gamma Knife at St. Joseph. St. Joseph Medical Center is the only hospital between Seattle and Portland with Gamma Knife technology. The model 4C unit at St. Joseph is the most advanced version of the equipment.
Gamma Knife surgery is used in the treatment of a variety of brain disorders, including benign and malignant brain tumors (some previously considered inoperable), deep-seated intracranial tumors, vascular malformations, and neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease.
Despite its name, the Gamma Knife is not a knife at all. The device directs 201 "blades" of gamma radiation to a computer-mapped focal point inside the patient's brain with accuracy to within half the width of a human hair. The procedure is silent, painless and lasts from a few minutes to about one hour depending on the size and shape of the tumor or lesion.
Treatment is typically a single-session, outpatient event that requires only local anesthesia. Patients rarely experience side effects from this "brain surgery without a scalpel." Typically, they resume normal activities with 48 hours after treatment. By comparison, conventional or "open" neurosurgery can last four to five hours, followed by weeks of recovery for the patient. Many medical risks associated with conventional neurosurgery - infection, disability, extended post-op periods - are eliminated by the Gamma Knife.
This type of surgery is an option for patients who may not be candidates for standard brain surgery because of illness or age. Medicare and most insurance plans cover the procedure, too.
In preparation for Gamma Knife surgery, the patient is fitted with a special frame that positions his or her head for treatment. After the frame is in place, coordinate settings are calculated to determine the exact location of the target inside the brain. The Gamma Knife produces 201 beams of radiation that intersect simultaneously at the target without harming healthy tissue. The effect on lesions and tumors occurs over a period of weeks or months, depending on their size and location.
"A team of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and radiation physicists works together to locate and define the tumor, then identify critical, normal structures nearby," says radiation oncologist Michael McDonough, MD, a medical director for the Gamma Knife program at St. Joseph. "Once the treatment plan and dosage are determined, the Gamma Knife is programmed to deliver the radiation."
Patients are prepared for surgery and undergo the non-invasive procedure at St. Joseph Medical Center. Their care is guided and supported by a team of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists and radiation physicists who are affiliated with the hospital, South Sound Neurosurgery and the Tacoma Radiation Oncology Center.
For more information about the Gamma Knife program at St. Joseph, go online to www.SouthSoundGammaKnife.com.
Founded in 1891, St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma is the flagship hospital of the Franciscan Health System. The Franciscan organization includes three hospitals with a total of 536 beds and a network of primary-care and specialty-care clinics.
Franciscan Health System (FHS) includes St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way; Franciscan Medical Group (a network of primary-care and specialty-care clinics and physicians); Franciscan Hospice House; and Franciscan Care Center. FHS is affiliated with Catholic Health Initiatives, one of the nation's largest not-for-profit health care systems. Franciscan is online at www.FHShealth.org.
