Experts on neurosciences, radiosurgery behind Philippine Gamma Knife Center

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Gamma Knife Center at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center is not just home to what is considered the gold standard in non-invasive brain surgery in the world, it is also home to many of the most respected names in neurosciences and radiosurgery in the country.

This is why since its establishment in the Philippines in 1998, thousands of patients have put their trust in the procedure, secure in the knowledge that they are being taken care of by a team of experts.

Dr. Theodor Vesagas, who heads the Philippine Gamma Knife Center as clinical director, is also the current chairman of the Philippine Board of Neurological Surgery. 

He also serves as neurological consultant to the departments of surgery of Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Mary Immaculate Hospital, and Amang Rodriguez Medical Center, and is a member of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons and Leksell Gamma Knife Society.

A graduate of the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Medicine, Vesagas has published and presented several research papers on neurosciences here and abroad. He is currently the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Philippine Neurological Surgery.

Dr. Edilberto Joaquin Fragante Jr., meanwhile, brings over two decades of experience in the field of radiology to the Philippine Gamma Knife Center. 

The University of Santo Tomas College of Medicine alumnus is the current president of the board of directors of the Philippine Radiation Oncology Society.

He is also the head of the Radiation Oncology department of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center and serves as executive assistant to the Department of Radiology of the UP College of Medicine and Philippine General Hospital (PGH) as well as Medical Specialist III of the Department of Radiology of the PGH.

Dr. Michael Louis Gimenez placed first in the Philippine Board of Neurosurgery’s written examination in 2005 and served as president of the Philippine Association of Neurosurgery Residents in 2004. 

Gimenez is a recipient of the ASEAN Young Neurosurgeon Award by the ASEAN Congress of Neurological Surgery in 2002. He is currently a diplomate of the Philippine Board of Neurosurgery and a fellow of the Academy of Filipino Neurosurgeons.

Gold standard

The Philippine Gamma Knife Center’s team of experts reinforces the trust that patients have in the Gamma Knife procedure. 

This is, in fact, one of the reasons why it is considered to be the gold standard in non-invasive brain surgery. All across the world, Gamma Knife can only be found in top hospitals and is administered by doctors who are considered the top in their field.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is considered by these experts as an advance in the field of steoreotatic neurosurgery. Dr. Lars Leksell of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm developed the machine to offer a non-invasive alternative in performing stereotatic functional neurosurgery.

Compared to conventional open surgery, Gamma Knife allows the patients to return to their daily activities quickly and cost-effectively. Because the Gamma Knife requires no incisions, and in most cases requires local anesthesia, many of the risk associated with conventional surgery such as infection, hemorrhage, adverse reaction to anesthesia and death are eliminated.

The procedure is also accomplished within a very brief time frame. It is usually performed as an outpatient basis with no associated convalescence. Most patients resume their normal activities after discharge from the center.

To learn more about the Gamma Knife procedure and how it may help you or a loved one, visit the Philippine Gamma Knife Center at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in Greenhills, San Juan or call 727-0001 local 4005 or 4006, 723-7575 or 725-9254.