Physicians at the CyberKnife Center of Miami can offer patients an alternative to surgery for brain or spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVM) using CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS).
An AVM is a tangled mass of blood vessels that can occur in the brain, spine, lungs, skin and kidneys. They most commonly occur in different parts of the brain or spinal cord and symptoms can vary depending on the size and location.
In many cases AVM’s are treated with surgery, embolization (which is the injection of a liquid adhesive material into the AVM with the aim of blocking it off) or observation.
CyberKnife Stereotactic Radiosurgery may be the treatment choice if the AVM is difficult to remove surgically or if embolization has previously been tried.
CyberKnife can reduce the long term risk of AVM bleeding by delivering high doses of radiation to shrink the AVM. It uses image-guidance and computer controlled robotics to deliver multiple beams of high-energy radiation to the site from virtually all directions.
Its’ missile guided technology can also track and detect any patient movement, automatically correcting the delivery of radiation beams to the exact treatment site.
During treatment, the CyberKnife moves slowly around you and you won’t feel a thing. It’s completely pain-free. The patient dresses comfortably in their own clothes and can bring music to listen to during the treatment. Nothing will be required of the patient during the treatment, except to relax. In fact, patients often sleep through the treatment.
This outpatient procedure is pain free, and does not require anesthesia or invasive stabilizing head frames like the GammaKnife and traditional radiation therapy techniques.
Most patients require one single treatment, experience few side effects and can return to normal activities following treatment.
After completing the CyberKnife treatment, patients will schedule follow-up appointments.
“Response to treatment varies from patient to patient. Clinical experience has shown us that most patients respond very well to CyberKnife treatments,” says Dr. Mark Pomper, board certified radiation oncologist and medical director at the CyberKnife Center of Miami.
Call for a consultation with the most experienced CyberKnife team in Miami. A referral is not necessary 305-279-2900.
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