The best alternative to brain surgery

The brain, like any other organ in the body, is susceptible to different kinds of infection, damage or injury. As tough as our skulls are, it cannot protect the brain from every danger inside or outside the body. Brain surgery is often needed for treating those head problems.

Craniotomy and neuroendoscopy are two common types of brain surgeries. In craniotomy, a piece or flap of the skull is removed so that the surgeon can reach and operate on the brain. The flap is then put back into place.

Neuroendoscopy is often called “minimally invasive” surgery because the patient is operated through very small openings (“keyholes”) in the skull. A long, thin tube called an endoscope contains miniature surgical instruments on one end, used to cut away tumors from the brain.

For those who dread the thought of having their skulls opened up, drilled with a hole, or simply looking for a better alternative, a non-invasive procedure called Gamma Knife treatment is recommended.

Gamma Knife is not as dangerous as it sounds. It can be likened to radio surgery. A head frame, attached to the patient’s head, delivers ionizing radiation to the affected parts of the brain.

This kind of precision means that only the targeted areas are given tumor-killing doses, leaving the surrounding tissues in the brain unharmed.

This form of radiosurgery is used for treating both benign and malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformation (AVM), pain and other functional problems.

Due to its less “physical” nature, the Gamma Knife treatment is able to treat deep-seated tumors in the brain not accessible to traditional brain surgeries. Since the brain is not exposed here, there is also a lesser risk of infection.

Gamma Knife is a very effective form of treatment. Since it was first used in 1967, it has successfully treated more than 150,000 patients worldwide, with an 80 percent success rate.

It was made available in the Philippines in 1997 and has since treated thousands of patients who suffer from benign and malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformations, and trigeminal neuralgia, among others.

Because of its efficacy, the Gamma Knife treatment also costs lower than other brain surgeries because it only needs one session to eliminate the brain tumors. After that, patients can usually go back to their normal daily routine the following day. Open surgery, on the other hand, normally requires two to four days in intensive care, followed by two to four weeks of hospitalization. Then, around four weeks more is needed before the patient can resume his or her normal lifestyle.

Those who are interested in Gamma Knife treatment may consult their doctors or physicians for pre-procedural assessment. The Cardinal Santos Hospital in Greenhills has the country’s lone Gamma Knife unit and has been successfully treating patients since 1997.

For more information on the Gamma Knife treatment, call 725-9254, 723-7575 or 726-0776.