Jason Sheehan, M.D., Ph.D.
Department of Neurological Surgery
University of Virginia Health Sciences Center
Box 800212
Charlottesville, VA 22908
434-924-8129
http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/neurosurgery/faculty/sheehan.cfm
Transcript: How Radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia has improved over the years
The Gamma Knife procedure and other Radiosurgical procedures for that matter and their use to treat trigeminal neuralgia have improved over the years. There has been improved dose selection. Improved targeting. And the overall procedure for the most part is shorter and more comfortable for patients. The latest unit, the Gamma Knife® Perfexion™, allows us to take advantage of all those potential advancements.
In particular when we’re targeting the trigeminal nerve now, we tend to target a more anterior, a more forward type portion of the trigeminal nerve. We tend to use a dose that hovers around a level of 80 gray. And that we tend to do more beam shaping of the dose such that we avoid any substantial amount of radiation going to the area of the brainstem.
By doing that, we are oftentimes able to reduce some of the potential complications yet still see a very good chance of some pain relief. If not, hopefully complete pain relief off medication which is always the goal.