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By: Joyce Kumi. Gamma Knife Surgery. If you or someone you know has a brain tumor, they are probably thinking they just have to get surgery.
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By: Joyce Kumi Gamma Knife Surgery
If you or someone you know has a brain tumor, they are probably thinking they just have to get surgery. But, there is a safer, faster surgery called Gamma Knife Surgery and I believe that giving a better understanding about what this surgery is could help one make a better choice about their well being.
Gamma Knife surgery is a type of radio-surgery that was invented by Lars Leksell in 1951. It treats brain tumors, lesions, and other abnormalities without surgical cutting of the skin and the procedure is completed in a one-time therapy in one day.
What is inside the Gamma Knife machine? Inside of the Gamma knife is 201 cobalt gamma ray beam sources that is inside of the covering and includes a head frame with four pins to attach to the patients head.
How Much Does Gamma Knife Surgery Cost? Surprisingly, Gamma Knife surgery costs less than a standard brain surgery. It is 25% to 30% less than a regular surgery involving cutting of healthy skin. It costs from $7,000.00 to $10,000.00 while a regular surgery costs as much as $35,000.00
Food Patients should not eat anything or drink anything the night before the procedure that takes place the next day.
Medications Any type of prescription medication should not be taking the night before the surgery. If you are scheduled to take a certain medication each night, this issue must be discussed with your doctor.
Clothing and Accessories The patient must wear comfortable, loose clothes the day of the procedure. Avoid wearing: Jewelry Makeup Contacts Wigs Nail polish Glasses
Before the Surgery A four pinned frame will be attached to the head and numbing shots will be given An imaging scan will show where the location of the tumor and a computerized tomography is an x-ray for the image. The patient will be injected with special dye so that it will be a clearer image of the tumor.
Notify Your Doctor If .. -You are pregnant - Have an implant in any part of your body
Time Frame and Appropriate Dosage Leveling Once the scan is complete and the size of the tumor is determined, the time will be set. Small: 2 minutes and 33 seconds Medium: 17 minutes and 20 seconds Large: 373 minutes and 2 seconds Appropriate dosage of the radiation beams will be decided while the patient relaxes in a another room.
During the Surgery The patient will be placed on a sliding bed, and will be entered into the machine. The patient will not feel the radiation, hear any machine noises, and will have a microphone from the inside of the machine to interact with the doctors.
After the Surgery The patient will be removed from the machine and the head frame will be removed The patient may have a headache, but medication will be given. There will be a small amount of bleeding from where the pins of the head frame were Observation on the patient will continue overtime after the surgery is over
After Surgery Avoid... - Scrubbing the areas where the pin sites were until completely healed - Any type of exercise - Driving, you must be driven to places for a period of time