DENVER, May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Swedish Medical Center, a leader in the Rocky Mountain Region in the treatment of cancer and neurological diseases, will enhance its treatment capabilities for brain disorders with the addition of Leksell Gamma Knife(R), the gold standard for intracranial stereotactic radiosurgery (knifeless brain surgery).
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The CNI Center for Brain and Spinal Tumors at Swedish Medical Center has long been noted for using the latest equipment and techniques to diagnose and aggressively treat complex tumors in the brain and spine. Statistics show that the aggressive treatment provided at the CNI Center for Brain and Spinal Tumors at Swedish has resulted in better patient outcomes.
“Leksell Gamma Knife(R) perfectly complements our current treatment options,” said Dr. Marsh Davis, Radiation Oncology Medical Director for Swedish. “The Leksell Gamma Knife(R) will allow us to provide a new dimension in the treatment of brain disorders, offering unparalleled accuracy and precision while being gentle to the patient.”
Gamma Knife(R) surgery avoids surgically opening the skull, with favorable results for the patient’s quality of life, treatment cost, clinical outcomes and reduction of complications. With open surgery, patients can expect to spend up to two weeks in the hospital and months convalescing at home. Non-invasive Gamma Knife(R) surgery is completed in a matter of hours. Patients generally go home within 24 hours and resume normal activities within a few days.
“For patients for whom Gamma Knife(R) surgery is applicable, the ability to have a minimally invasive procedure that has been proven to be effective is almost a miracle,” said neurosurgeon Dr. John McVicker, who heads up the CNI Medical Advisory Board. “With the enormous volume of clinical experience on Leksell Gamma Knife(R), we feel that it is the gold standard in stereotactic radiosurgery and will support our commitment to offer patients the very best treatment options.”
Gamma Knife(R) surgery delivers very high doses of radiation with minimal damage to the normal brain tissue surrounding the problem area. Today, there are 200 units in operation worldwide, and over 250,000 patients have benefited from this gentle, non-invasive treatment. It has become the most trusted radiosurgery product in the world with proven results documented in 2,000 peer-reviewed published papers.
Gamma Knife(R) surgery is used for a variety of neurological disorders, including AVMs, vestibular schwannomas, meningiomas, pituitary tumors, trigeminal neuralgia and brain metastases. Research is being conducted on other possible uses of Leksell Gamma Knife(R), such as treating epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and uveal melanoma.
About Swedish Medical Center
Swedish Medical Center-HealthONE, a Level I Trauma Center, serves as the region’s referral center for neurotrauma and is the only Comprehensive Stroke Center in Colorado. Swedish’s Centers of Excellence include: adult and pediatric trauma services, neurosciences, surgical services, advanced radiology capabilities, cancer treatment services, cardiology services and women’s and children’s services. An acute care hospital with 368 licensed beds, Swedish is located in the south Denver metro area in Englewood, Colo., where it has been a proud member of the community for nearly 100 years. Swedish was named one of the “100 Top Hospitals” in the nation by Solucient in 2003, as well as being awarded the “Consumer Choice” award for the fifth time in 2002 and being named a “Facility of Choice.”
About Colorado Neurological Institute (CNI)
Founded in 1988, CNI is the largest, most comprehensive neurosciences center in the Rocky Mountain Region. A physician membership-based collaboration, this unique organization allows specialists to blend their knowledge, skills and talents to provide the highest level of care for patients with nearly every neurological illness and achieve excellence in research, education and patient outcomes.
About Elekta
Elekta is a world-leading supplier of advanced and innovative radiation oncology and neurosurgery solutions and services for precise treatment of cancer and brain disorders. Elekta’s solutions are clinically effective, cost efficient and gentle to the patient. The company’s North American headquarters are located in Atlanta and corporate headquarters are in Stockholm, Sweden. For additional information about Elekta, please visit http://www.elekta.com/
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Elekta Instruments, Inc.
CONTACT: Ramonna Tooley, Director of Marketing and Public Relations ofSwedish, +1-303-788-4490; or Michelle Lee, PR and Advertising Manager ofElekta, +1-770-670-2447; or Luanne Williams, Executive Director of CNI,+1-303-806-4714
Web site: http://www.elekta.com/
