HealthSigns - Spring 2009 - (Page 4)

targeted treatment gamma knife technology offers hope and faster recovery for brain tumor sufferers GET IN THE KNOW To learn more about the Gamma Knife program at Washington Hospital, call 510-745-6480 or visit whhs.com, click “Services & Programs” and select “Taylor McAdam Bell Neuroscience Institute” from the drop-down menu. It wasn’t long ago that the words “you have a brain tumor” meant almost certain death. But today, with the help of advanced technology and the expertise of trained physicians, many people diagnosed with a brain tumor have a much brighter outlook. With the powerful Gamma Knife PerfexionTM, many metastatic and benign tumors can be treated painlessly, without a single incision. Patients usually return home the same day. This technology is also being used to treat other neurological conditions, including poorly formed blood vessels (called vascular malformations) and facial pain syndrome (called trigeminal neuralgia). And, studies are being conducted to determine the effectiveness of the Perfexion in treating epilepsy. The Tri-City community is fortunate to have one of the few hospitals in the country to have the Gamma Knife Perfexion. In 2007, Washington Hospital was the first community hospital in the U.S. to acquire and install this state-of-the-art equipment, which uses highly focused doses of radiation to destroy all or part of a tumor or lesion. It can also be used to treat multiple tumors at the same time. Although the sheer power and precision of the Gamma Knife are impressive, the real key to its success at Washington Hospital is the team of experts who use this noninvasive approach to treatment. Neurosurgeon Sandeep Kunwar, M.D., and radiation oncologist David Larson, M.D., Ph.D., are codirectors of Washington’s Gamma Knife Program, which is part of the hospital’s Taylor McAdam Bell Neuroscience Institute. Together, these two renowned experts have more than 30 years of cumulative experience using advanced I Neurosurgeon Sandeep Kunwar, M.D., (left) and radiation oncologist David Larson, M.D., Ph.D., codirectors of Washington Hospital’s Gamma Knife Program, are both nationally and internationally recognized for their expertise, innovation and leadership in the field of Gamma Knife radiosurgery. technology like the Gamma Knife to effectively treat brain tumors. “When patients come to us for treatment, we always include the local referring physician in the process and keep them up to date with the treatment plan,” Kunwar says. a revolutionary difference The story of one local resident shows how the Gamma Knife Perfexion has revolutionized the field of brain tumor treatment: About six months ago, an 82-year-old woman came to the Gamma Knife Program at Washington Hospital. “She had a very large, complex, benign tumor pushing on her brainstem,” says Kunwar. “At her age, we didn’t believe she could tolerate the traditional open-brain surgery that might have been an option.” If the woman’s tumor had been allowed to grow, pressure on her brain would have continued to increase, and she would have begun to have difficulty with walking and even swallowing food. The doctors decided to use the Gamma Knife to treat the tumor and, during the half-day procedure, Kunwar and his team used highly focused doses of radiation to destroy as much of the tumor as possible. During the procedure, the patient experienced almost no pain. “Now, six months after treatment, the followup brain scan shows 50 percent reduction in the tumor size with less pressure on the brain and brainstem,” reports Kunwar. “The Gamma Knife has dramatically improved the length and quality of this woman’s life, and we are optimistic that she has been cured of her tumor.” 4 SPRING 2009 http://www.whhs.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of HealthSigns - Spring 2009

Health Signs - Spring 2009
Contents
Community Calendar
Mobile Health Care
Targeted Treatment
Right Care, Right Now

HealthSigns - Spring 2009