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	Related conditions   - Brain cancer (Brain tumor)   - Acoustic neuroma   - Meningioma   - Trigeminal neuralgia

Information for physicians

As Southeastern Wisconsin's leading tertiary care hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center is committed to providing you and your patients with access to advanced procedures and state-of-the-art technologies. That's why we've opened the Gamma Knife Center. St. Luke's is the first medical facility in Wisconsin to offer Gamma Knife radiosurgery. This innovative treatment for brain tumors and neurological disorders is non-invasive and is truly a revolution in technology and hope.

Exactly what is the Gamma Knife?

The Gamma Knife was developed in 1968 and has been used to treat over 100,000 patients worldwide. In the last 10 years, this clinically proven treatment has been increasingly utilized by the nation's leading hospitals.

The Gamma Knife is a form of stereotactic radiosurgery that delivers a high dose of ionizing radiation to a targeted area deep within the brain, often in places that were formerly considered inoperable. The radiation is delivered by as many as 201 "blades" or beams of cobalt-60 radiation that are programmed to intersect on a tumor or abnormal blood vessel. Individually, the beams are weak and can not damage healthy tissue, but together they converge precisely on a target with 0.3 mm accuracy and enough gamma radiation to destroy the targeted abnormality.

What are the advantages of the Gamma Knife?

If your patient is a candidate for Gamma Knife radiosurgery this procedure can offer a number of benefits including:

Increased safety
No incision is made when using the Gamma Knife, so the chance of infections or post-operative hemorrhage is minimal.

Effective
Gamma Knife radiosurgery is backed by over three decades of clinical experience and documented results. The procedure has proven to be accurate and successful…offering hope to patients with previously inoperable conditions.

Short recovery time
Patients are treated on an out-patient basis and go home the same day.  In some cases, patients may stay overnight for observation.

Cost-effective
Most people can return to normal activities, including work, within 24 hours. And usually, no physical therapy or other rehabilitation is necessary. The Gamma Knife has proven to be a cost-effective treatment option. Most insurers recognize and cover Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Patients should check with their insurance provider regarding coverage in their particular plan.

What kinds of patients respond to this type of treatment?

The Gamma Knife can be used to treat many conditions. The Gamma Knife Center's team of physicians and staff are available to answer questions and help you decide if the procedure is right for your patient.

Patients with the following conditions are potential candidates for treatment:

Brain tumors – both malignant and benign, including:

• Acoustic neuromas
• Craniopharyngiomas
• Pituitary adenomas
• Pinealomas
• Meningiomas
• Glial and metastatic lesions
• Arteriovenous Malformations-AVMs
• Functional Neurological Disorders – Including trigeminal neuralgia and movement disorders.

The Gamma Knife may be used as the primary treatment to manage lesions or as an adjunct to traditional surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy to treat residual lesions following surgery or recurrent tumors. It offers a treatment option for patients who were previously considered inoperable due to lesion location, age or medical condition.

What will the experience be like for my patient?

Prior to treatment: 
Prior to treatment a patient will meet with a radiation oncologist for a consultation appointment and a tour of the center. The day before the procedure, a nurse will call your patient to cover any preoperative instructions and answer questions.

Day of treatment: 
On the day of the procedure, your patient will be fitted with a stereotactic head frame. The patient will be given a local anesthetic before the frame is attached.

Measurements of the patient's head will be recorded to help plan the treatment.

An MRI, CT and/or angiogram will be performed and the images will be transferred to the treatment planning system where computerized dosimetry is used to calculate the exact dose, treatment time and head positions for the individual.

When the treatment plan is complete, the patient will lie on the Gamma Knife bed and the stereotactic head frame will be attached to a collimeter. The bed will then slide into the unit and treatment will begin. The patient will be awake and alert throughout the procedure and observed by closed-circuit television. The patient and staff will be able to communicate via two-way microphones.

Following treatment, the stereotactic head frame is removed. After a brief observation, the patient will either be discharged as an outpatient or admitted overnight for observation.

Length of treatment: 
The actual radiation treatment could last from 30 minutes to three hours depending upon the number of doses required. The entire process from head frame placement and imaging through treatment and observation takes several hours.

Follow-up care: 
Patients will be given specific follow-up instructions. The effects of treatment occur over a period of time, depending on the condition being treated. The staff at the Gamma Knife Center will work with you to make sure the effectiveness of the treatment is monitored.

We offer you the benefits of a multi-disciplinary team

Gamma Knife radiosurgery requires the expertise and collaboration of a variety of specialists. We have assembled a team of neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, radiation physicists, neuroradiologists, technicians and nurses to work with you and your patients. Together, they will access the latest computer technology and software tools to create personalized treatment plans that are safe, accurate and efficient for simple and complex cases.

And you're an important part of the team

You know your patient better than anyone else. That's why the Gamma Knife team considers you to be part of the team. You will be invited to observe the procedure on the day of treatment. If you are not available, we will contact you directly that day to inform you of your patient's status.

High-tech treatment combined with a high-touch philosophy

St. Luke's Medical Center is recognized for providing physicians and their patients with proven high-tech treatment options. Our patient care philosophy is also rooted in treating people as individuals, with dignity and respect. We recognize that patients can often become overwhelmed by the thought of undergoing a new, high-tech procedure. Our clinical staff is trained to address patient's concerns and to thoroughly explain the details of the procedure before and on the day of treatment.

Not sure if Gamma Knife surgery is right for your patient? Call us for a 2nd opinion

We want what's best for your patient. Each week a multi-disciplinary conference is attended by neurosurgeons, neuro-radiologists, medical physicists, pathologists, radiation oncologists and medical oncologists so our physicians may review and discuss potential cases and recommend options for treatment. If you would like to learn more about this service offered by the Gamma Knife Center, give us a call. You are welcome to attend the conference.

Helpful things to know about St. Luke's

We want to make coming to the Gamma Knife Center at St. Luke's as convenient as possible for you and your patient. Please call us at 1-888-444-8050 if you have any questions or concerns.

Parking: Valet parking is available for patients. They should enter the hospital using the main entrance which is located on the second floor. From there, they take the stairs or elevator down to the first floor where they will find the Gamma Knife Center.

Lodging: Patients of St. Luke's and their families can stay at the Hospitality Inn, located just two miles south of the medical center, for a discounted rate. The hotel van can provide transportation to and from St. Luke's as needed.

Phone: (888) 444-8050 or (414) 385-2660
Fax: (414) 385-2942

Gamma Knife Center
St. Luke's Medical Center
2900 West Oklahoma Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53201-2901