Gamma knife radiosurgery for schwannomas in the craniocervical region.

Kotaro Nakaya1

1Atami Tokoro Memorial Hospital

Keywords: skull base, gamma knife, schwannoma, radiosurgery, outcome

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Abstract

     Gamma knife perfexion provides the potential to treat lesions in the upper cervical spine. Therefore, it is not hard for schwannomas in the craniocervical junction(CCJ) to perform gamma knife radiosurgery(GKR).
     In this study, we reported the results in five patients with schwannomas at the cranio-cervical junction.
     The 5 patients included one man and four women.
     Since October 2009, we performed gamma knife radiosurgery with perfexion for 5 patients who had a schwannoma at the craniocervical junction. Median volume of the tumor at the time of GKR was 5.9cc (range: 1.8-45.8cc). Median length of follow-up constituted 12 months (range: 6-21 months).
     At last follow-up, one tumor decreased in size, one increased volume without any symptom, two were unchanged in size and one come back same size of the treatment after transient tumor expansion. No complications were noted after GKR in any case.
     This was a small retrospective series.
     Schwannomas in the CCJ reacted similar to vestibular schwannomas. 
     Gamma knife radiosurgery with perfexion is one good option to treat those schwannomas.


Acknowledgements

Project Roles:

K. Nakaya ()