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One such technology that has emerged and has great promise, is the use of gamma knife radiosurgery to either excise a brain tumor or repair a vascular malformation. [49] However, other research suggests that with a few seizures recovery is still possible. [50]
The Gamma Knife is an apparatus used to precisely apply a controlled radiation dosage to the volume of the brain occupied by the AVM. While this treatment does not require an incision and craniotomy (with their own inherent risks), three or more years may pass before the complete effects are known, during which time patients are at risk of ...
Generally, single-session Gamma Knife radiosurgery is limited in use to VSs less than 3 cm in diameter to avoid possible complications with facial nerves, brainstem and the cochlea apparatus. [26] The risk of radiation-induced secondary tumors is very small, in the range of 0.01-0.02%. The risk for NF2 patients appears to be slightly higher.
The risks of psychosurgery have been greatly reduced by modern stereotactic techniques, where more discrete lesions are made in the brain. Adverse effects of capsulotomy and cingulotomy include seizures, fatigue and personality changes. The risk of death or vascular injury is extremely small. [24]
Stereotactic surgery is a minimally invasive form of surgical intervention that makes use of a three-dimensional coordinate system to locate small targets inside the body and to perform on them some action such as ablation, biopsy, lesion, injection, stimulation, implantation, radiosurgery (SRS), etc.
A gamma knife may also be used. [25] If a cerebral AVM is detected before a stroke occurs, usually the arteries feeding blood into the nidus can be closed off to avert the danger. [26] Interventional therapy may be relatively risky in the short term. [27]
The device consists of a small linear accelerator attached to a robotic arm, along with an integrated image guidance system. During treatment, the image guidance system captures 3D images, tracks the movement of tumors, and guides the robotic arm to accurately aim the treatment beam at the moving tumor.
Neurosurgery or neurological surgery, known in common parlance as brain surgery, is the medical specialty that focuses on the surgical treatment or rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nervous system, and cerebrovascular system. [1]