Ken: Thought I'd take a moment and give you some feedback. You are
actually on-target. There is a device called a Gamma Knife which is a
radio-surgery machine. It performs brain surgery by using 201 "beams"
of cobalt 60 radiation sources which are focused together on the spot in
your brain you wish to treat. Only the spot where the 201 beams
intersect is actually treated with the radiation - the other brain
tissues are unaffected. This Gamma Knife machine HAS ALREADY been used
to perform Pallidotomies. Here at the Good Samaritan Hospital in L.A.
we had a trial of using the Gamma Knife for pallidotomies back in 1991 -
1992. We treated about 20 patients and found that they had some benefit
- but it was inconsistent. Since we now know that the place in the
brain to create a pallidotomy lesion is variable between patients - we
only use invasive, radio-frequency procedures to locate the exact
location for patients. The Gamma Knife machine does not allow for
stimulation/testing during the procedure - as you can do with "open"
brain surgery.
On the other hand, the Gamma Knife is STILL used to perform
thalamotomies (for tremor only). The place on the thalamus to make a
thalamotomy lesion is well documented and varies little from patient to
patient, so this is still a viable option for patients. When possible,
we still prefer to perform "open" surgery rather than GK, as we can do
the stimulation during surgery to verify accurate lesion placement - but
this technique is still a resource for those who cannot tolerate open
brain surgery. Thanks for your ear, Carole
>
>2) If radiation can be beamed into the brain without incisions, to treat
>cancer, why not do the same, to perform a non-invasive palidotomy?? I am
>willing to take any criticism, but if thee is merit to either idea,
>please someone, get it into the right place to become useful!
>
>
>
>
>[OO] LOOKING FOR RADIOS!
>Ken Becker
>[log in to unmask]
>
