Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Cyberknife Procedures

Cyberknife is a non-invasive alternative to traditional surgery for tumors in the brain and spine.


CyberKnife is a robotic radio-surgery tool created by surgery experts at Stanford University and the Schonberg Research Corporation. It is manufactured and distributed by Accuray, a company at the forefront of robotics and radiation technology. CyperKnife is used to control cancerous tumors, usually in the brain and spine, without invasive surgery. This alternative to traditional surgery accurately locates tumors and delivers concentrated amounts of radiation to them without damaging healthy tissue.


Cyberknife for Brain Tumors


Brain surgery and chemotherapy have long been the standard treatment procedures for brain tumors. CyberKnife technology, however, now makes radiation treatment for brain tumors more accurate, less invasive and generally safer than traditional surgery. CyberKnife uses a robotic arm to shoot radiation at sub-millimetric targets on a patient's skull to control the brain tumor, to prevent further malignant growth and to potentially extend brain cancer patients' survival. The CyberKnife procedures for brain tumor control have been extremely effective thus far, with more than 90 percent of patients' tumors responding to the treatment.


CyberKnife for Spine Tumors


Spinal surgery and radiation procedures before CyberKnife were complicated for surgeons and frightening for patients. Indeed, it is imperative the spinal cord not be damaged in any way during a tumor treatment procedure. CyberKnife makes non-invasive treatment of spinal tumors more accurate with computer precision and less dangerous because the system has a feature that tracks tumor and patient movement throughout the procedure. CyberKnife adjusts its robotic arm as needed during the procedure to ensure that the spinal cord is not injured during radiation treatment.


Selecting Cyberknife


CyberKnife technology is becoming more prevalent as patients with brain and spine tumors seek a non-invasive treatment option. However, if you are interested in a CyberKnife procedure, you may need to travel to a specific medical facility because these machines are not widely available. Unlike conventional surgery for tumor reduction and control, CyberKnife is a painless outpatient procedure. CyberKnife is a revolutionary piece of medical technology with enormous benefits for patients with tumors.







Tags: brain spine, procedure CyberKnife, traditional surgery, alternative traditional, alternative traditional surgery, brain tumor, brain tumors