Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Gamma Knife surgery, offered through the Merit Health Central Gamma Knife Center, is unlike any surgery you may think of. This safe, non-invasive alternative to brain surgery is the "gold standard" for what is known in the medical field as stereotactic radiosurgery. As the first technology of its kind in the state of Mississippi, Merit Health Central's Gamma Knife gives new hope for patients with brain tumors and other problems in the brain that would once have been inoperable.
Located in the Cancer Care Center at Merit Health Central, the multi-disciplinary team of medical professionals pools their individual expertise on medical radiation, brain anatomy and radiation components to provide patients with care and treatment.
Due to the specialized nature of brain diseases, selection of patients for Gamma Knife radiosurgery is made by the treatment team and is based on individual case analysis, taking into account the patient's health and their physician's recommendations.
About Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
The Gamma Knife allows neurosurgeons to operate on abnormal areas of the brain without making an incision. Using a technique called stereotactic radiosurgery, the Gamma Knife precisely targets and destroys abnormalities within the skull using highly focused gamma radiation. Patients may experience minimal pain and, in most cases, can resume regular activities the day after treatment.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery is a non-invasive treatment for:
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Benign and malignant brain tumors
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Metastatic brain tumors that have spread to the brain from other areas of the body
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Vascular malformations of the brain
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Trigeminal neuralgia facial pain
The Gamma Knife is also currently being researched for the treatment of the following conditions:
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Parkinson's disease
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Essential tremor
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Temporal lobe epilepsy
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Intractable pain
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Glaucoma
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Aneurysms
Because the Gamma Knife Center uses a team approach in a patient's treatment, the patient's referring physician is also an active partner in the treatment process. He or she is informed of the patient's initial evaluation results, treatment status and their progress is noted on follow-up studies. The patient's physician is welcome to be present at the treatment session. Following Gamma Knife treatment, the patient is returned to the care of the referring physician.
The Merit Health Central Gamma Knife, since its first use in 2001, has a high success rate among the thousands receiving treatment at Merit Health Central. This same technology has been successful in treating more than 190,000 patients worldwide.