We at Dr. Rao’s Hospital, the best neurology hospital in guntur offer the best stereotactic radiosurgery in Andhra Pradesh. It is an alternative to invasive brain surgery. When traditional brain surgery can’t help or fails, stereotactic radiosurgery is the treatment of choice.
Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers radiation more precisely than traditional radiation therapy. It forms high-energy beams of radiation strong enough to deactivate even some of the most aggressive tumours.
Dr. Mohana Rao Patibandla, one of the best neurosurgeon in Andhra Pradesh, is an expert in stereotactic radiosurgery. He has undergone extensive training in all the subspecialties of neurosciences and has the privilege of studying and working at top medical institutes in the USA.
Our hospital is counted among the best neurology hospital in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, for providing comprehensive treatments for a brain tumour, stroke, brain aneurysm, epilepsy, etc.
Read on to know what is stereotactic radiosurgery, its benefits, and its procedure.
What is stereotactic radiosurgery?
Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) uses an advanced form of focused radiation beams to treat tumours and other problems in the brain, neck, spine, etc.
SRS is not a surgery despite its name, as there is no incision involved. Instead, it uses 3D imaging to deliver high doses of radiation to the affected area with minimal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Stereotactic radiosurgery damages the DNA of the targeted cells. This causes the affected cells to lose the ability to reproduce, which in turn shrinks the tumour.
Mostly, stereotactic radiosurgery of the brain and spine involves a single session of very high radiation. Only sometimes few sessions are needed.
Why is Stereotactic Radiosurgery used?
Dr. Mohana Rao Patibandla, one of the best neurosurgeon in Andhra Pradesh, uses stereotactic radiosurgery to treat a wide range of disorders in the brain.
He uses this method to treat:
- Areas close to the vital organs
- Hard to reach areas
- Tumours that have metastasized
Also, Dr. Rao uses stereotactic Radiosurgery in Andhra Pradesh to treat older people or those who are too sick to have traditional surgery.
Further, he may also use stereotactic radiosurgery after the surgery to kill any tumour cells that may have been missed.
Benefits and Safety
Stereotactic Radiosurgery VS. Traditional Surgery
Avoid these risks of traditional brain surgery:
- Long hospital stays
- Lengthy rehabilitation
- Damage to healthy brain tissue
- Surgical complications, like bleeding, infection, and cerebral spinal fluid leak
- General anaesthesia dangers
- Other physical trauma and disruption of normal brain function
Conditions treated by stereotactic radiosurgery in Andhra Pradesh at Dr. Rao’s Hospital
- Acoustic neuroma (vestibular schwannoma)
- Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs)
- Astrocytomas
- Chordoma
- Craniopharyngioma
- Dural malformations
- Epilepsy
- Hemangioblastoma
- Meningioma
- Metastatic tumours
- Movement disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Pituitary adenoma
- Trigeminal neuralgia
- Uveal melanoma
How to prepare for stereotactic radiosurgery?
Before your stereotactic radiosurgery at Dr. Rao’s Hospital, one of the leading neurology hospitals in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, a lot of planning goes into structuring your treatment.
First, you will have to undergo one or more CT scans or MRI. Our doctor may inject a contrast agent to understand the tumour’s location and size or other structure they have to treat.
Prior to the treatment, you will have to inform the doctor about the medications you take and any device or implant you have, such as stents, artificial heart valves, pacemakers, or implanted pumps.
It is necessary to take these precautions:
- Do not consume any food or water after midnight before the treatment.
- Do not wear makeup, jewellery, or use hair products like gel or hair spray.
- Before treatment, remove your lenses, eyeglasses, and dentures.
How is stereotactic radiosurgery performed?
At the time of treatment, you will have to stay completely still so that our doctor can target the affected area with radiation without damaging your healthy tissues.
We may place straps on you or put a special facemask or frame attached to your scalp to keep you from moving.
You will have to lie down on a table that will slide into a machine during the stereotactic radiosurgery in Andhra Pradesh. The machine may turn you around to change the angle of the radiation beams.
Our doctor will be watching you on a camera, and you will be able to speak to him through the microphone in the machine. The treatment takes around 30-60 minutes.
Types of stereotactic radiosurgery
The main types of technology used to deliver stereotactic radiosurgery are:
Gamma knife radiosurgery –
It involves aiming around 200 highly focused gamma radiation beams at the target area. Doctors use gamma knife radiosurgery to treat small to medium-sized brain or head abnormalities and functional brain disorders like tremors.
Linear accelerator machines –
It uses high-energy X-rays (photons) to treat large tumours in a single session or over three to five sessions. It is also known as CyberKnife technology.
Proton beam therapy (charged particle radiosurgery) –
It is the latest type of stereotactic radiosurgery and is available in only a few centres around the world. It can treat brain tumours in a single session using stereotactic radiosurgery or use fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy to treat smaller tumours throughout the body over several sessions.
What are the risks of stereotactic radiosurgery?
Some of the potential risks of stereotactic radiosurgery are:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Swelling of the brain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Difficulty in swallowing
- Hair loss in the treatment area
- Skin issues like redness, blisters, swelling, or peeling
Frequently Asked Questions:
When will my tumor disappear after treatment?
The effects of stereotactic radiosurgery occur gradually. It may take days or months, depending on the medical condition targeted. Some tumours go away more slowly than others, while some may or may not disappear completely. Some tumours stop growing and present no biological activity.
When can I resume my daily activities?
You can return to your pre-treatment activities within a few days after stereotactic radiosurgery.
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