My Gamma Knife session last week with Dr. Kondziolka at University Of Pittsburgh medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian Hospital went very smoothly. They are really geared up to handle GK patients. There were 4-5 scheduled on Thursday with 6 more on Friday. The nurse said that 2-3 ANs were handled each week. So there is a lot of expertise at UPMC. In fact, Dr. K said that they train other neurosurgeons 6 times a year. I had an initial appointment on Wednesday with Dr. Kondziolka who answered my many detailed questions, including how many GY he was going to give me (12-13 Gy)and what machine he was going to use. I had blood drawn for creatinine clearance, a requirement for MRI with dye, if you have not had a test in 60 days. The hospital needs to know that your kidneys can excrete the dye properly. The nurse also asked me many questions about implants, metal fragments, etc. to ensure that the MRI would go safely.
On Thursday, my family and I reported to the hospital at 6 AM for a very efficient admitting procedure. Then I went to the GK unit where I was given Ativan sublingual and an IV. I had an MRI in the same GK area. The mask was screwed in after a gel was put on the appropriate spots. I did not feel anything. The GK (Perfexion) was very quiet with just some noise when the machine adjusted itself. After, I recovered in the same cubicle with my family present. I only had minor discomfort when a couple of the screws were removed. I left in a wheelchair with my head wrapped in gauze which was removed when I returned to our hotel room. I slept about 3 hours after the GK, a combination of the early hour and post-GK meds. The screw holes are almost completely closed now with some swelling on the right side. Today I had some stabbing pains in my head on the AN side, which I handled with ibuprofen. All in all, it was a successful trip. The worst part was the 6+ hour trip back to NJ in the rain on the Penn turnpike. I would certainly recommend UPMC (very professional nursing and administrative staff)and Dr. Kondziolka to anyone who is contemplating GK radiosurgery. I was in the hospital for about 5.5 hours, most of which was prep and recovery.
Thanks for your interest. If you have any specific questions, please send me an email. Just remember, I was in twilight sleep during most of this process!
