DEVICE TO TREAT INOPERABLE� BRAIN TUMORS AT WASHINGTON HOSPITAL CENTER
September 9, 2002 |
Gamma Knife Device Uses Focused Radiation to Perform Delicate Cranial Surgeries
Contact: LeRoy Tillman, 202 877-7072;leroy.w.tillman@medstar.net;
or So Young Pak, 202 877-2748, soyoung.pak@medstar.net
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 9, 2002 - Patients who undergo delicate brain surgery at the
Image-guided Neurosurgery Center of the Neuroscience Institute at Washington Hospital Center now can have a non-invasive procedure performed with only an overnight stay. The Hospital Center�s Leksell Gamma Knife was formally unveiled on July 29, 2002 at its new facility. This technology uses focused gamma ray radiation from cobalt sources to pinpoint and treat both benign and malignant tumors. The Hospital Center is home to the only Gamma Knife in the Washington region.
The gamma knife, or stereotactic radiosurgery, was first performed in the United States in 1987.
This is minimally invasive surgery that does not require an incision or opening of the skull. It is appropriate for many common brain tumors, vascular malformations.and for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia� says Jeff Jacobson MD, director of the Image-guided Neurosurgery Center.
Patients have minimal discomfort during the procedure. The gamma knife is more cost-effective than traditional neurosurgery for the treatment of common brain tumors. Patients are usually admitted the morning of treatment and are discharged the following morning. The procedure takes between 30 minutes to 90 minutes complete and is performed using moderate sedation.
This is an excellent procedure for small acoustic neuromas, skull base meningiomas, AVMs, and some primary brain tumors such as malignant gliomas. It may be the best, and only, treatment for some patients whose medical conditions would not allow conventional surgery.� said Dr. Jacobson.
This technology is frequently used to treat metastatic brain tumors. Studies are underway to determine its effectiveness in treating Parkinson�s disease, essential tremor and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Washington Hospital Center is a 907-bed, acute care teaching and research hospital based in Northwest Washington, D.C. It is the largest private hospital in the nation�s capital and has the thirteenth highest patient volume in the United States. The Hospital Center is home to the nation�s third largest cardiac program. It also has a comprehensive Cancer Institute; a full range of women�s services; an extensive organ transplantation program; MedSTAR, one of the nation�s top shock/trauma centers; and the most advanced burn facility in the region. |
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Last updated: 07-26-2007
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