Gammaknife

Hello everyone it’s me again. Ok so I had an embolization on May 11 they got 98 percent. There are 2 small veins left . I just had a 3 rd angio last Thursday and he tried to embolize the last 2 veins and could not .
So now I have to meet with another dr about gamma knife . I’m not sure I am ready to do this right now this has been a lot mentally. Especially because I’m still healing right now . I have to meet with the dr at the end of this month and make a decision.
Has anyone had this done ? And if so what side effects have you all had and was it painful, uncomfortable etc. any help would be great :blush:

Hi Chloe, you have had a time of it for sure. I hope I can help you out some with Gamma Knife and the experience that I had. Gamma knife was the recommendation of my surgeon, with option 2 being craniotomy. My AVM was deep in my brain so getting at it was tougher, thus the decision. I have nothing but positive to say about the experience, the staff was outstanding and truly committed.

It started early and I had the frame installed, They froze the areas of installation, it was uncomfortable, one person on my day was sedated for it. So here is options there for sure. Once on, the frame was okay. I had an MRI, CT scan and then the actual gamma knife. The gamma knife took less than an hour. As soon as it was done, the frame was removed. I went home within half an hour of being completed. I had some head aches several months after, and some ice pick headaches, but have had no lasting negative effects of gamma. My impacts were from the bleed.

You’ll likely get a few differing opinions, my AVM was small, a grade 2 but the reason it was a 2 was location. The size also made me a good candidate. In February of 2019 I had an angio and achieved completed obliteration. I had an MRI in 2021 and will go back in 3 years.

I hope this helps, take care. John.

Thank you so much. I literally have 2 small veins left and it will be gone . I just had an angio done and most of it is gone except for those 2 veins. Thank you for the information. I am speaking with a dr at the end of this month I do need some time to think about all of this .

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