About
Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery is a targeted form of radiation therapy that
earned its name because of its scalpel-like precision. Neurosurgeons at Augusta University
Health use this advanced technology to destroy brain tumors and malformed blood vessels
without opening the skull. Thanks to the Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ with Extend™ technology, treatment is simple, painless, and fast. Often, families can accompany their loved
ones during the majority of a Gamma Knife procedure. Patients typically return to
their pre-operative lifestyle the same day following surgery.
Gamma Knife surgery may be the only treatment you need, but can also be done in conjunction
with traditional therapies, offering new hope to patients with brain disorders that
were once considered too difficult or dangerous to treat with standard surgery.
The Gamma Knife advantage
For patients who are candidates for radiosurgery, there are numerous benefits to it,
including:
- It's a safer, minimally invasive procedure, with no incision or opening of the skull.
- There is very little discomfort.
- No general anesthesia needed, except for children.
- Typically done on an outpatient basis.
- No risk of infection, hemorrhage, spinal fluid leakage, or adverse reactions to general
anesthesia.
- Greater accuracy and reliability.
- Less expensive than conventional neurosurgery.
- Eliminates lengthy post-surgical hospital stays and disabilities, and minimizes rehabilitation
costs.
What We Treat
Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery is used to treat a variety of conditions including:
- Acoustic neuromas
- Blood vessel abnormalities (such as arteriovenous malformations or AVMs)
- Brain tumors (primary and metastatic)
- Chronic pain syndromes
- Epilepsy (related to certain tumors or vascular malformations)
- Meningiomas
- Parkinson's disease and essential tremors
- Pituitary tumors
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Tumors (skull base, throat, and upper neck)