Patients with certain types of brain tumors and disorders no longer need to "go under the knife" or endure physically draining radiation therapy to find relief. With Gamma Knife technology, doctors are able to deliver over 200 beams of radiation with scalpel-like precision directly to tumors and lesions. Although many people have never heard of Gamma Knife, the procedure has been around for a long time. The Food and Drug Administration approved it nearly 30 years ago, and University of Maryland doctors have been administering Gamma Knife treatments for over a decade. In fact, more than 2,500 patients have come to the University of Maryland Medical Center for Gamma Knife surgery. Gamma Knife also differs from conventional radiation therapy. Because patients are injected with such low doses of radiation, they don't experience the side effects associated with traditional radiation therapy. In fact, several "shots" of therapy can be given during the same session, and treatment sessions can be repeated every few weeks if necessary. Who's Eligible for Gamma Knife Gamma Knife can be used to treat a variety of conditions. It is most often used on tumors, either cancerous or benign. Benign tumors such as meningiomas and acoustic neuromas, and malignant tumors that have metastasized can all be effectively treated. Doctors typically use the Gamma Knife to treat tumors that are smaller than four centimeters in size. Gamma Knife is able to stop tumors from growing in 90 to 95 percent of all cases. It also causes tumors to shrink in the majority of cases. Shrinkage can take anywhere from a week to a year, depending how rapidly the tumors' cells try to divide. Gamma Knife can also be used in treating disorders such as arteriovenous malformations (AVM), Parkinson's disease and trigeminal neuralgia. Patients with AVM have abnormal tangles of blood vessels in their brains that can bleed, causing seizures and hemorrhagic stroke. Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition that causes pain around the cranial nerves near the base of the brain. This pain tends to radiate out to pressure points in the face, and can be nearly unbearable for some patients How the Procedure Works When patients first come to the University of Maryland Medical Center for treatment, they must meet with the Gamma Knife medical team. The team is made up of three dedicated neurosurgeons and a radiation oncologist. The team then collaborates and decides on the best way to treat the patient's condition. On the day of the surgery, patients are fitted with a clear, plastic frame. This frame sits over their heads and helps team members to measure the distance the radiation beams must travel. The team then uses three-dimensional, computerized technology to figure out exactly where to administer the radiation. Once this has been determined, patients are placed into the Gamma Knife apparatus. The Gamma Knife is a metal, helmet-like device that emits the radiation beams. According to the medical team, the entire procedure, from the time the patient first arrives at the Gamma Knife Center to the completion of the treatments, only takes about four or five hours. Patients typically spend one night in the hospital and then go home. How Radiation Works Radiation is invisible energy that slices through tumor cells and vessels. Radiation therapy uses high-energy light beams (X-rays or gamma rays) or changed particles (electron beams or proton beams) to damage the DNA of tumor cells or lesions. If enough damage is done to the chromosome of a cell, it will die spontaneously or it will die the next time it tries to divide into two cells. Tumors are poorly vascularized tissues that are deprived of oxygen. Radiation, however, requires a lot of oxygen. Radiation therapy controls tumors by splitting the oxygen molecules it finds in and around tumors into harmful oxygen radicals that destroy tumor cells. Gamma Knife works in AVM patients by damaging the abnormal tangle of blood vessels in their brains, and forming scar tissue. Once scarred vessel walls thicken, they clog up and become sealed off. Blood can no longer leak through them, causing seizures or stroke. Liposuction in India Liposuction in India is offered at different health care centers of Chennai and Mumbai with most advanced technology and modern treatment facilities. India offers World Class Medical Facilities, comparable with any of the western countries. India has state of the art Hospitals and the best qualified doctors. With the best infrastructure, the best possible Medical facilities, accompanied with the most competitive prices, you can get the treatment done in India at the lowest charges. Significant cost differences exist between U.K. and India when it comes to medical treatment. Liposuction in India is not only economical but the waiting time is almost nil. This is due to the outburst of the private sector which comprises of hospitals and clinics with the latest technology and best practitioners. What is Liposuction? Liposuction means "removal of fat" by surgery. Fat is permanently removed from the area of liposuction. After the age of 18 years, the height of any individual is fixed and you do not grow any taller. Similarly the number of fat cells in the body is also fixed at the age of 18 years and subsequently the fat cells can increase in size, but not in number. Thus, the area where Liposuction has been done looses the fat along with the fat cells and the reduction is permanent as the fat cells have been removed from that area. In liposuction, you not only lose weight, but also attains improvement in the contour of the body- you can loose 4" to 6" or even more from your waist-line. Up to 6litres of fat can be suctioned safely in one sitting, although more can also be done depending on the individual case. Surgery through Liposuction: Most liposuctions at our centre are performed under general anesthesia.Liposuction, especially small volume can be performed under I.V sedation and local anesthesia too. The surgeon will make a very small incision of approximately 0.1 inches long (3 mm) and will insert a small tube called cannula under your skin. The cannula may be connected to a device that generates high vacuum pressure or to a special syringe. The unwanted fat deposits, which prior to this process were treated with injections of a special liquid (saline solution combined with local anesthesia and a vasoconstrictor), are removed from under your skin through the cannula by suction. This liquid generates the adequate conditions for the extraction of fat. The cannula is moved under the skin to reach all the desired areas. The numbers of incisions vary according to the characteristics of each area, but it is usually more than one. In ultrasonic assisted Liposuction (UAL), a special cannula that emits ultrasonic waves is used. Since these waves cause the fat cells to rupture and the fat is liquefied, its removal becomes much easier. Candidates for Liposuction: Not everyone is a good candidate for Liposuction. It is not a good alternative to dieting or exercising. To be a good candidate, one must usually be over 18 and in good general health, have tried a diet and exercise regime and have found that the last 10 or 15 pounds persist in certain pockets on the body. Diabetes, any infection, heart or circulation problems, generally nullify one's eligibility for the procedure. In older people, the skin is usually less elastic, limiting the ability of the skin to readily tighten around the new shape. In this case, other procedures can be added to the Liposuction, such as an Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). http://www.indiasurgerytour.com/treatments/cancer/india-Gamma-Knife-treatment.html http://www.indiasurgerytour.com/india-cosmetic-surgery/india-surgery-liposuction.html About Author: This is Deep Ray. I am working in a Medical Domain. My hobbies are writing Medical and Knee Replacement including endocarditis. related Article and doing research in Medical Domain.
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