If you are diagnosed with a vascular condition or brain tumor, board-certified brain surgeon, Christopher Duma, MD, may recommend you for radiosurgery with the advanced technology of the Gamma Knife™ Perfexion™.
Learn more about what the Gamma Knife is and how it may be instrumental in your treatment.
The Gamma Knife Perfexion is not exactly a knife. It’s a scalpel-like surgical instrument that uses 192 intersecting beams of high-intensity gamma radiation waves for the surgical treatment of brain tumors, tremors, and the chronic pain of brain and vascular diseases.
Gamma Knife surgery is an outpatient procedure, and Dr. Duma delivers the radiation waves into certain areas of your brain without the need for incisions. The Gamma Knife Perfexion offers a high level of accuracy in targeting the treatment area.
Though the beams of gamma radiation are powerful enough to address abnormal brain tissue, treatment with the Gamma Knife Perfexion is safe for normal tissue in the surrounding area. In fact, the radiation waves become 200 times more powerful in the focused treatment area to ensure all abnormal tissue or existing tumors are treated effectively the first time.
Because radiosurgery is an outpatient procedure, you can expect to go home soon after treatment to finish your recovery.
To ensure you remain still and Dr. Duma has access to the targeted treatment area, you need to wear a device known as a stereotactic frame that keeps your head in position. This frame also provides him with reference points, and Dr. Duma also uses 3D computer imaging to further improve the beam accuracy of the Gamma Knife
Dr. Duma successfully uses the Gamma Knife Perfexion technology for a variety of conditions, including:
After a careful evaluation of your existing condition and medical history, Dr. Duma can determine if treatment with the Gamma Knife is right for you.
The reliable accuracy of the Gamma Knife Perfexion is one of the biggest benefits of the technology, and Dr. Duma can even use it for treating difficult tumors located at the base of the skull in less time than previous technologies allow.
The Gamma Knife radiosurgery technology is also highly beneficial because it’s a noninvasive treatment that’s less traumatic to your body than traditional, open brain surgery. Radiosurgery also reduces your risk for complications common with surgery, such as:
Treatment times with the Gamma Knife Perfexion are also shorter than with other technologies, and in many cases, Dr. Duma can address all issues during the same procedure.
Although you need some time to recover, treatment with the Gamma Knife helps you get back to your usual routine within just days of treatment, instead of the weeks or months required with many traditional surgeries.
Find out more about the benefits of the Gamma Knife Perfexion technology by calling the office or by scheduling a consultation with Dr. Duma online now.
