The Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Center

About the GSH Gamma Knife

Gamma Knife: On Target Treatment
Backed by more than four decades of unparalleled research, Gamma Knife radiosurgery has become the primary tried and tested alternative for conventional brain surgery. Since first established at Good Samaritan Hospital, Gamma Knife Center experts have treated thousands of cases, establishing them as a leader Gamma Knife Radiosurgery.

The Gamma Knife Center at Good Samaritan Hospital is also one of a few facilities on the West Coast with an updated Gamma Knife stereotactic surgery unit, model 'C". The model 'C' unit uses the latest technology to administer gamma radiation to treat benign and malignant tumors, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), facial pain, and other functional brain disorders.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery is performed by a highly skilled, multidisciplinary team that includes a neurosurgeon, a radiation oncologist, and a radiation physicist - all with expertise in the use of the Gamma Knife.

After two decades of research, no other neurosurgical tool has shown results as impressive as the Gamma Knife. Following treatment, the majority of brain tumors disappear or stop growing over time. Usually, after one year, 40 percent of AVMs are cured, increasing to 80 percent two years after treatment. More than 150,000 patients have been treated world-wide with no mortality and minimal morbidity reported.

Advantages of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
Gamma Knife radiosurgery gives patients a non-surgical alternative for treating brain tumors and other brain abnormalities. Gamma Knife treatments can also be used to complement open surgery or other forms of radiation treatment.

High Precision
Gamma Knife radiosurgery has sub millimeter accuracy. Actually, the Gamma Knife is not a knife at all. It is a 20-ton medical instrument that emits 201 finely focused beams of gamma radiation. These beams simultaneously intersect at the precise location of the brain disorder and treat the area with minimal effect on surrounding normal tissue - there are no incisions, little pain and little risk of complications.

Lower Risk
There are many benefits as a result of the noninvasive nature of Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Complications are less likely to occur when using Gamma Knife surgery, as opposed to traditional interventions. Gamma Knife radiosurgery virtually eliminates any risk of hemorrhage or infection, and poses minimal risk of damage to other vital structures. This procedure also uses local anesthesia and mild sedation, eliminating side effects and risk of general anesthesia.

New Hope
The GSH Gamma Knife Program has over 14 years of experience and over 2200 patients have undergone Gamma Knife radiosurgery at Good Samaritan Hospital. The recent upgrade of the Good Samaritan Gamma Knife unit and the renovation of the clinical area serve to demonstrate the Center's commitment to providing the latest in technological advancements in an environment that is both comfortable and relaxing. The technology offered by the Gamma Knife greatly enhances Good Samaritan Hospital's ability to provide the full range of advanced neurosurgical care. Gamma Knife radiosurgery allows Good Samaritan experts to treat lesions that were previously inaccessible or treated unsuccessfully by conventional surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy - providing hope to patients who may have few viable options.

With thousands of cases completed, Good Samaritan Hospital Gamma Knife experts understand that few ailments spark as much fear as those affecting the brain. The Hospital's Gamma Knife team helps patients rest easier knowing that the unique expertise of the Center translates into an opportunity for a quicker return to normal activities with a treatment that's right on target.