Stereo tactic Radio surgery treatment is a procedure that allows doctors to perform a surgical operation without the need to actually open up or cut into the skull, in fact there is no need to cut into skin. The gamma knife, created in 1968 was the first of its kind and made it possible to remove tumors by use of radioactive rays. It sends a direct ray of ionizing radiation, to the center of the tumor and allows it to be destroyed from inside of the tumor itself. The stereotactic radio surgery treatment is only used when normal operating procedures like open skull surgery can not be used, in the case of a tumor being in too deep or too far down into the brain. Stereo tactic radio surgery treatment is used when doctors fear nerve damage can occur during the operation.
Though stereotactic radio surgery treatment id only used for tumors found in the locations of the head and neck, it is also, but very rarely, used on the full body, this only happens in vary high risk cases. The stereotactic radio surgery is administered over a period of a few days to a week, only at a point of once a day. It gives off one high powered radio active beam that helps to neutralize tumors and other legions within the brain cavity. It is said that the stereotactic radio surgery treatment has dramatic effects even when used one time, and in many cases one stereotactic radio surgery treatment is all that is needed. However, there have been cases when a full week of treatment is needed, but doctors find it very alarming, as the rate of radioactive beams measured against the amount a days needed could affect the healthy tissue in the human brain, which puts the patient at even greater risk.
It is very important for the patient to stay really still in this procedure, as the beam will need to be pin pointed to the direct spot of the tumor or legion. Done any other way this could mean permanent long term damage to the healthy brain tissue. For this reason the patient will be tightly strapped into the gurney or bed before he or she is inserted into the radioactive or stereotactic radio surgery treatment machine. It is said that this procedure is so effective that some patients get treated in one day, or even just as outpatients, with no need for overnight observation.
By: Avi Eshkol -