Kolkata: Patients suffering from complex brain and neurological conditions now have access to Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Kolkata, with the Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata (I-NK) starting the advanced treatment facility.
The facility was inaugurated at the seminar hall on the ninth floor of the institute. Gamma Knife Radiosurgery is a form of Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) that delivers highly focused radiation to targeted areas of the brain without opening the skull.
The technology can be used in selected cases involving brain tumours, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and trigeminal neuralgia. Unlike conventional open brain surgery, the procedure does not require a surgical incision or removal of part of the skull.
The inauguration programme was attended by Rajya Sabha MP and West Bengal BJP president Shamik Bhattacharya, West Bengal Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam and Kolkata Municipal Corporation administrator Smita Pandey, along with senior doctors, neurologists and neurosurgeons from I-NK.
With the facility now available in Kolkata, patients from West Bengal as well as other parts of eastern and northeastern India will have access to Gamma Knife treatment closer to home. Doctors say the technology can offer a treatment option for selected patients who may not require conventional open brain surgery.
However, Gamma Knife is not suitable for every brain condition or every patient. The decision to use the technology depends on the patient’s diagnosis, the location and size of the lesion and the assessment of the treating medical team.
