Gamma Knife Treatment in Germany

For many decades, the radiation therapy has been used for the cancer treatment. It is constantly being improved. One of the most effective techniques among the types of radiation therapy is the radiosurgery. It allows doctors to successfully carry out treatment of many diseases using precisely targeted high doses of radiation. The effect can be achieved in 1 session. Most often, the technique is used for the treatment of brain cancer. The latest models of the Gamma Knife can be used for the treatment of brain cancer.

Indications

In Germany, the radiosurgery techniques are increasingly used for the treatment of malignant and benign brain tumors. Over the years, these techniques are being improved. The accuracy of targeting is being increased, the dose of radiation for healthy tissues is being decreased.

Although the Gamma Knife is mostly used for the treatment of brain cancer, it has other indications. It is successfully used in the following cases:

• treatment of the spinal cord cancer with localization of tumors in the cervical segments;
• metastases of oncological neoplasms of other organs into the brain;
• small benign neoplasms;
• arteriovenous malformations;
• aneurysms;
• acoustic neuromas;
• pituitary gland tumors, including the hormone-producing ones;
• trigeminal neuralgia.

How is the procedure carried out?

For the treatment of oncological brain tumor, a doctor puts a stereotactic frame on patient’s head. This procedure is performed under the local anesthesia because it is fixed to the body with special spikes.

After this, the diagnostics is carried out. It is performed in order to determine the zone of beam targeting. CT scan or MRI is carried out. The localizers are put on the stereotactic frame. They connect the coordinates which were obtained during the tomography to the coordinates of the frame.

Further, based on the data, the treatment can be planned. The information is transmitted to the console. Shape of the tumor, its location, and loading dose of the brain neoplasm are taken into consideration.

The patient is placed on the table with the fixed head. Medical staff leaves the room in order not to be irradiated in the course of radiation therapy. The table slides inside the device, and the tumor is irradiated. The procedure can be very long. Audio communication with the patient is maintained throughout the entire time.

After completion of the procedure, doctors remove the frame from the head. There is no need for hospitalization and rehabilitation. A person can immediately go home.

Benefits of Gamma Knife usage in Germany

Gamma Knife is very often used for the treatment of brain tumors in Germany. It is a decent alternative to surgery. This technique has a huge number of benefits:

1. Minimal trauma. Despite the fact that neurosurgical intervention with craniotomy allows a doctor to remove even large brain tumors, the main disadvantage of this approach is the invasiveness. Any operation carries the risk of complications. Blood loss occurs; there is a chance of wound infection. Cranial bones are damaged and might heal for a long time. Using Gamma Knife for treatment in Germany allows avoiding all these disadvantages.

2. Lower prices for the treatment. Craniotomy is a high-priced procedure. Not everyone can afford a neurosurgical operation. But in German hospitals, costs for the treatment of brain tumors using Gamma Knife are quite acceptable. Many people can afford this procedure.
3. High accuracy. Gamma Knife virtually does not damage healthy tissues. The brain tumor receives a high dose of radiation but functionally important parts of the brain remain intact. All this became possible thanks to the high-precision targeting of the stereotactic system. The error is no more than 0.5 millimeter.
4. Single-session treatment. Radiation therapy is often used for the treatment of organic brain diseases in Germany. In comparison, Gamma Knife has one obvious advantage. A person does not need to visit the hospital repeatedly in order to undergo the next session of radiation therapy. Removal of brain tumors with the Gamma Knife is carried out in one session.
5. Good tolerability. Any surgery is painful. Although the operation itself takes place under general anesthesia, a person feels pain in the postoperative period. If the Gamma Knife is used for the treatment in Germany, tolerability of the therapy is much better. During the irradiation, a person does not feel discomfort. There is no tissue damage, so there is no pain during the recovery period.
6. Treatment of inoperable tumors. In Germany, the Gamma Knife is often used in situations when oncological tumors cannot be removed by surgical methods. For example, if it is located deep in the brain and a doctor has to cut a lot of tissues in order to get to the tumor. Another situation, if a brain tumor is located near the functionally important areas, so the resection may pose threat to patient's life. In such cases, radiosurgical methods are used in Germany.
7. There is no rehabilitation period. Recovery after a surgical treatment takes a long time. After applying the Gamma Knife in Germany, a person can return to a normal way of life on the very next day. He does not need hospitalization. He does not lose his working capacity.

There are disadvantages in this procedure as well. It allows a doctor to remove brain tumors only up to 3 cm in diameter. For accurate targeting, the head fixation is required (stereotactic frame is used). All these drawbacks are not typical for the CyberKnife. It is a more advanced technique which is also used in Germany for the treatment of tumors and vascular malformations. It allows a doctor to remove the brain tumor up to 5 cm in diameter, and does not require head fixation with the stereotactic frame. Accuracy of targeting reaches a tenth of a millimeter. Although the prices for treatment in German hospitals using this device are higher, the CyberKnife is the preferred method for the treatment of cancer of the spinal cord, lungs, spine, head and neck tumors.

Treatment organization

For a treatment in Germany, you can use the services of Booking Health. We will select the best hospital which specializes in the use of radiosurgical techniques. We will also provide you with the following benefits:

• Preparing preliminary medical program on the basis of previous examinations.
• Establishing communication with your doctor.
• Providing lower costs for treatment in German hospitals, because we agree upon the exclusion of additional fees for foreign patients.
• Maintaining contacts with the hospital after the treatment completion.
• Monitoring medical program at all stages.
• Financial transparency, control of invoices and unspent funds.
• Help in buying and forwarding medicines
• Organization of additional diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
• Services: preparation of documents, booking plane tickets, transfer.

Thus, Booking Health allows you not only to arrange a trip but also to reduce costs for the treatment in German hospitals. You will be able to delegate all the organizational issues to us. All you have to do is to focus on the restoration of your health.