Head gear for Gamma Knife?

Anyone who had the Gamma Knife treatment,could you tell me if the process was tolerable? This tues my wife will have this procedure. First putting in the head gear, then angiogram, then MRI. Then finally the Gamma Knife treatment. All in one day. Thanks in advance.

And has anyone that had an attack of AVM, while waiting for treatment have another seizure and how bad was it.

Our prayers are with you all.

Andy

Hi Andy,

I'll try to answer your questions, though Chari's radiation was Proton Beam, which is a little different. The first time, she had a "headgear", which was a steel ring that went around her head. It was attached with four screws that tightened into her skull. It didn't penetrate the skull, just clamped against it. They used local anesthesia to numb the skin. With the front two, she could hear the screws compressing the cheek bones. The sound was rough, but it wasn't painful.

That ring was secured to a fixture with a calibration dome on it, so they could get their measurements. Then with the measurements, the ring secured her head so they could hit what they were aiming at.

Her second PBR used a bite block. A local dentist did an upper plate impression (which was gagging to do). Molded into this bite block was a 1/2" x 1" steel bar. The bar (like the ring) was what they used to secure her to the fixture.

Now as the next question, if I understand what you are asking, "has anyone had a seizure while having radiation?" I'm sure the answer is yes. Chari had a grand mal seizure while undergoing an angiogram at Mass General in Boston. They didn't let on like it was a big deal.

If your wife has grand mal seizures that aren't controlled by meds, I think that might be a concern as she will have her head secured to a fixture. I'd ask them about it. They might give her a sedative to help prevent a seizure, or more anti-S meds.

One of the things we learned at Boston: Chari had seizures when stressed and when she didn't eat. Well, duh, she couldn't eat the morning of the angiogram, then they farted around and her 11AM angio slipped til 3PM--guess what, she had a seizure. From that point on, whenever we had medical procedures done, when they started talking about what time they would schedule it, we'd speak up "Chari can't go without eating or it triggers seizures!" Bingo--we ALWAYS got the first appointment of the day.

Hope this helps.

Ron, KS

Hi Andy,

I have had gamma knife done twice June 2007 and November 2010. The 2nd time was easier than the 1st. Mostly because I was very upset and didnt want to do it. It was better the 2nd time because I knew exactly what was coming. The frame that goes on isnt fun but its like being in labor just focus on something and breath it goes by fast. It hurts but its not as horrible as you think it is. I mean I dont want to go in a 3rd time, so I wish the best for your wife!!!! There is a lot of pressure when they are placing the frame, it feels like they are squeezing your head in. Keep us posted. Best of luck :)

Thank you all for your statements. Wish us luck.

My wife has had two rounds and her biggest complaints have been “its a really long day”. Scary but not painful are her words. She was treated at Jefferson Hospital in Phila and there process involves putting you out (not general anesthesia) probably verced(sp) or the like while they attach the halo and do the agio. Start to wake up with the head gear and then go straight to MRI - mostly still sleepy and with long lasting novacane or lidocane to keep the skull numb (4 pins fix the halo to the head). After MRI - mostly a alot of waiting in a room with a nurse (i was allowed to be with her most of the day) while they read the MRI and fuse the images together with the agio. Once a plan and treatment is established - the treatment is much like a cat scan and only about 45 mins with no pain or discomfort. As the day goes on and the anesthesia wheres off, the sites where the halo are attached tend to become sore but again not intolerable. Went home 6-8 hrs later - my wife doesnt cope well with anesthia so we have had nausea and vomitting on the car ride home but this maybe something peculiar to her. Site soreness that night and maybe the next day but it was the length of the day not the treatment itself that is a bit of endurance battle. “not the worst i have been through” are her words. Embolizations are not as much fun. Best of luck - the day is not as bad as she feared or imagined and we are happy to answer any questions. When it was all said and done - “not a big deal” and would go back willingly to have more!

Mike I appreciate that greatly. I can let my wife know now that it is not what she imagines. Nice to hear. My nurse told us it is not bad at all and I’m the one will have to long day. Thanks a lot.

Hi Mike! Where are you guys from? My daughter has been a patient of Dr Rossenwasser for 8 yrs now. She is 14 and has had 1 embo, 2 Gamma Knife’s and 1 Linear Acceleator. It’s nice to find other patients of the same treatment center on this site!

Mike Sheehy said:

My wife has had two rounds and her biggest complaints have been "its a really long day". Scary but not painful are her words. She was treated at Jefferson Hospital in Phila and there process involves putting you out (not general anesthesia) probably verced(sp) or the like while they attach the halo and do the agio. Start to wake up with the head gear and then go straight to MRI - mostly still sleepy and with long lasting novacane or lidocane to keep the skull numb (4 pins fix the halo to the head). After MRI - mostly a alot of waiting in a room with a nurse (i was allowed to be with her most of the day) while they read the MRI and fuse the images together with the agio. Once a plan and treatment is established - the treatment is much like a cat scan and only about 45 mins with no pain or discomfort. As the day goes on and the anesthesia wheres off, the sites where the halo are attached tend to become sore but again not intolerable. Went home 6-8 hrs later - my wife doesnt cope well with anesthia so we have had nausea and vomitting on the car ride home but this maybe something peculiar to her. Site soreness that night and maybe the next day but it was the length of the day not the treatment itself that is a bit of endurance battle. "not the worst i have been through" are her words. Embolizations are not as much fun. Best of luck - the day is not as bad as she feared or imagined and we are happy to answer any questions. When it was all said and done - "not a big deal" and would go back willingly to have more!

Hi Kim, We are from Prescott,AZ and my wife's Dr. is the Famous Dr. Nakaji at St Joseph Hospital. He is one of the top Surgeons with the new techniques on AVM. My wife is due for her first Gamma Knife treatment this Tuesday. And they tell me I'm the one that will have a long day and my wife will be sleeping. Well, I have my laptop and lots of movies to watch.

I'm also wondering if anyone had a bleed after having Gamma knife also. There never enough questions .Sorry.

I havent had any bleeds or brain swelling from gamma! Also I was awake for my gamma both times, would have been great to be knocked out :slight_smile:

Andy Lee said:

Hi Kim, We are from Prescott,AZ and my wife's Dr. is the Famous Dr. Nakaji at St Joseph Hospital. He is one of the top Surgeons with the new techniques on AVM. My wife is due for her first Gamma Knife treatment this Tuesday. And they tell me I'm the one that will have a long day and my wife will be sleeping. Well, I have my laptop and lots of movies to watch.

I'm also wondering if anyone had a bleed after having Gamma knife also. There never enough questions .Sorry.

Thanks, it's nice to hear.



Andrea Fisher said:

I havent had any bleeds or brain swelling from gamma! Also I was awake for my gamma both times, would have been great to be knocked out :)

Andy Lee said:

Hi Kim, We are from Prescott,AZ and my wife's Dr. is the Famous Dr. Nakaji at St Joseph Hospital. He is one of the top Surgeons with the new techniques on AVM. My wife is due for her first Gamma Knife treatment this Tuesday. And they tell me I'm the one that will have a long day and my wife will be sleeping. Well, I have my laptop and lots of movies to watch.

I'm also wondering if anyone had a bleed after having Gamma knife also. There never enough questions .Sorry.

I had gamma knife back when they were just starting to use the thing. Back in `89, they used the steel ring with the four bolts tightened into the skull. It didn't really hurt that much. Of all the things I've had done in a hospital (crainiotomy, kidney stones, etc.), this one was one of the easier ones.

Another thing, back then my pregnant wife didn't have a laptop to watch movies. Our daughter still came out okay a few months later. My wife still says she is going to get even with me, right after our daughter gets married next year.

89! Wow that was a long time ago. Glad to hear that your treatment was successful.

Why would your wife want to get back at you? Being on the other end it was very scary for me too and that is what she was feeling. So you had an AVM? Or something else? If so, no after effects?

Andy

Im going to got through the whole procedure tomorrow, will let you know exactly what happened…God is good. Blessings.

My wife had it done yesterday at St Joseph,AZ She had pains in the forehead and threw up caused by not being able to eat between the angio and MRI. After the Gamma Knife she got sick and the only thing was hurting WAs the back of her head where the pins were. Be sure to have an extra shot in the pins before they take it off. Other than that it was a piece of cake. Just relax and sleep when you can.

Good Luck

Andy