Stereotactic Radiosurgery
The Non-Invasive Neurosurgery
Introduction Evolution How Does it Work Indications Treatment Process Advantage
Gamma Knife Treatment Process
Gamma Knife treatment process is nearly a non invasive painless procedure which is performed with great expertise and precision. This is probably the most comfortable neurosurgical procedure where no opening of skull of even skin incision is involved. The patient treatment is comfortable enough to be done on out patient basis with day care. However ideally we prefer to admit the patient a day prior to treatment, do some basic investigations and start medication. A pre-anesthetic evaluation is done although no open surgery or long anesthesia is required. Patient is asked to remain fasting overnight and take head shampoo.
Treatment process is devided in foru main steps:
Frame Fixation Stereotactic Imaging Treatment Planning Radiation Delivery
Frame Fixation:
Main procedure start of day of treatment in morning with frame fixation.
Gamma Knife treatment is technically called Stereotactic Radiosurgery as we use stereotactic fame for guidance or stereotactic navigation during the treatment. leksell Stereotactic G frame is is a light frame made of titanium-aluminum alloy. It is attached to the patients head using four titanium screws which pearce the skin and hold grip on skull bone. During this procedure, patient is lying on table and his head is positions in the frame which is stationed on a special adaptor at head of table. 
Then local anesthetic injections are given at the site of screw attachment to anesthetize that area. To make procedure further painless light general anesthesia is given by anesthetist for a short duration [10-15 min]. Patient wakeup from anesthesia and find frame attached on head with no pain. patient is maintained in anesthesia till next step of imaging if he is afraid of MRI scanning as experience during investigation at time of diagnosis. If patient is comfortable skull surface measurements are done with a special tool [top header image]. If patient is sedated this step can be postponed for later and patient is send for imaging.
Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion
The Fifth Generation Robotic Gamma Knife