Methodist Hospital this year marks the 10th anniversary of the gamma knife, a non-invasive alternative for patients for whom traditional brain surgery is not an option. The Gamma Knife is used to treat benign and malignant brain tumors, vascular abnormalities, and brain dysfunctions as such as trigeminal neuralgia. Based on preoperative radiological examinations, such as CT scans, MR scans and angiography, the Gamma Knife provides highly accurate irradiation of deep-seated targets, using a multitude of beams of ionized radiation with scalpel-like precision. No incision is made, and patients resume normal activities within a few days of treatment.

“The Gamma Knife was invented to treat patients with inoperable brain lesions,” said John Wissinger, M.D., medical director of the Gamma Knife Center at Methodist Hospital. “It has more than justified that promise. It has revolutionized the care of a large group of neurosurgical patients and has provided excellent long-term support and enhanced quality of life for patients with cancer that has metastised to the brain.”

The “blades” of the Gamma Knife are beams of gamma radiation programmed to target the lesions at the point where they intersect. In a single treatment session, approximately 200 beams of gamma radiation focus precisely on the lesions. Over time, most lesions slowly decrease in size and dissolve. The exposure is brief and only the tissue being treated receives a significant dose of radiation, while the surrounding tissue remains unharmed. Since no surgical incision is made to expose the inside of the brain, the risk of surgical complications and the side effects and dangers of general anesthesia are reduced.

STORY IDEA

The Gamma Knife changed the life of Christi Snowden, 30. After an automobile accident, she was diagnosed with left temporal lobe arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a congenital disorder of the brain’s blood vessels. It is characterized by an abnormal connection between the arteries and the veins in the brain. Usually there are no symptoms until complications occur. These complications can involve rupture of the AVM, which can result in bleeding that can be profoundly disabling or fatal. The condition caused her to have severe pressure headaches on a daily basis. The headaches were so debilitating that she couldn’t get out of bed in the morning. The headaches also robbed her of precious time with her five-year-old son.

Because of the deep location of the AVM, Dr. Wissinger recommended Gamma Knife surgery. After treatment with the Gamma Knife in July 2004, Snowden’s headaches gradually went away. Now, she has her life back.

With advance notice, Dr. Wissinger and Snowden are available for interviews. We also have b-roll of the Gamma Knife for television news stories.

If you are interested in doing a story, please phone Shirley Wills at 822-2378 or 365-4488(cell) or JoAnn King, 575-0171. For media assistance during the weekend, please phone Methodist Hospital, 575-4000, and ask for the public relations representative on call.