If you are going to have Gamma Knife® radiosurgery, you may be wondering what kind of recovery you can expect after the procedure.
One of the main benefits of Gamma Knife treatment is the lack of complications and long recovery time that may come with traditional surgery. There is a low risk of infection and no trauma to the surrounding tissue, and there are no broad restrictions on daily activity.
What to Expect After Gamma Knife Radiosurgery
After the treatment is completed, the frame or mask that helped keep your head in position will be removed. The pin sites will be cleaned and covered, and you will receive instructions on how to care for the sites.
Some patients have a headache or nausea, which is easily treated with oral medication. You will be released that day from the hospital to go home.
Resolving symptoms
The goal of Gamma Knife radiosurgery is to disrupt the cells’ ability to replicate by radiating the cells in the tumor, nerve, or brain region. You should anticipate a lessening of symptoms over time rather than immediately after the procedure, so keep that in mind going forward.
Living your life after surgery
After the procedure, you will be able to eat and drink and resume all activities that you could do before the treatment. Some people are tired for a few days, but with adequate rest, they recover their energy. Most patients can resume their full daily activities, including returning to work, the day after their treatment.
Potential Complications from Gamma Knife
Gamma Knife radiosurgery has few complications immediately after the treatment. The most common are:
- Headache.
- Irritation at the pin insertion site and scalp.
- Nausea.
These issues typically resolve soon after the treatment and can be treated with medication. Some people may also temporarily lose some hair.
Rarely, patients may experience brain swelling from their treatment months later. They also may experience severe infection at the pin site and seizures. Even rarer, they may experience vision or hearing loss because of the treatment location. These risks are minimal, but if you are concerned, you should speak with your doctors about the risks versus benefits.
Most of the short-term and long-term side effects of the Gamma Knife treatment can be treated with medicines.
The Center for Image-Guided Neurosurgery at UPMC is proud to be the nation’s leading provider of Gamma Knife procedures. Since 1987, we have performed more than 18,500 successful procedures. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our Gamma Knife specialists, call us at 1-412-647-3685 or contact us online.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .