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Leeds: Brain tumour tool treats its 100th patient
It has been in Leeds for a year – and now a hi-tech tool in the fight against brain diseases has treated 100 patients.
The Gamma Knife at the Bexley Wing at St James's Hospital is one of just four in the country.
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Using gamma radiation beams, doctors can target and destroy brain abnormalities with incredible accuracy and without the need for open surgery.
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That was what Yvonne Allen needed five years ago when she was first treated for a brain tumour.
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But as the 100th patient to undergo treatment with the gamma knife, she had the 60-minute procedure and was back home within 24 hours.
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She said: "The whole experience was so completely different to the major surgery I had to remove my first tumour.
"The gamma knife is a fantastic machine, offering new hope and new treatment options for so many patients.
Mrs Allen was first diagnosed with a benign meningioma – a tumour that affects the linings of the brain – after retiring to Scarborough following a career in administration in health centres at Shadwell and
Burmantofts in Leeds.
In 2005 a scan revealed a 2cm tumour and she underwent major surgery involving a five-hour operation, more than a week in hospital including a spell in intensive care, and being unable to drive for six months.
Regular scans showed another tumour behind her eye and a recent check-up found it had almost doubled in size.
More treatment was needed, but this time the 68-year-old went under the gamma knife instead.
Her head was placed in a frame to prevent it from moving during treatment and Leeds neurosurgeon Stuart Ross worked with radiographers in an adjoining room to perform the treatment.
Mrs Allen, who is married to Mike and has one grandson, said: "Had I lived closer, I could have gone home that same day but instead chose to stay overnight at the hospital's own hotel.
"I went home to Scarborough the next morning – and felt well enough to stop for a spot of shopping on the way home, buying some new shoes."
The 3m gamma knife revolutionises the treatment of a range of brain conditions, including cancers.
The Leeds Gamma Knife Centre has treated NHS and private patients from across the country since it opened a year ago.
"We are determined to put Leeds at the forefront of gamma knife technology in the UK," said Kerry Jackson, chief executive of Nova Healthcare which runs the service in partnership with Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
"To mark our first anniversary by treating our 100th patient is an important milestone for us.
"Gamma knife technology adds an extra dimension to the treatment options for people with a range of malignant and benign brain diseases and we are delighted to bring it to West Yorkshire for the very first time."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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