House Ear Clinic offers Gamma Knife

[Raydean]

July 28, 2006 12:46 PM US Eastern Timezone
House Clinic Now Offers Less Invasive Treatment for Acoustic Neuromas; Gamma Knife(R) Technology at Good Samaritan Hospital Provides Patients Alternative to Surgery
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 28, 2006--The House Clinic, renowned leader for its expertise in hearing care, now offers patients an alternative treatment for acoustic neuromas with the use of the Gamma Knife(R) at Good Samaritan Hospital. The House Clinic, with locations in Los Angeles, Encino, Huntington Beach, Orange County, and Santa Monica, has been advancing hearing treatments since 1946.


Acoustic neuroma (or vestibular schwannoma) is one of the most common types of brain tumors. It is a benign, non-cancerous, often slow-growing tumor on the vestibular nerve that runs alongside the auditory and facial nerves connecting the ear to the brain. Acoustic neuromas account for six percent of all primary intracranial tumors, and if not removed, can cause hearing loss, balance or facial nerve problems, and even death.

Though several forms of treatment for acoustic neuromas are available, the primary form of treatment is surgery. Depending on the size of the tumor, about half of all acoustic neuromas are presently treated by surgically removing the tumor preventing complications from tumor growth. Surgery may enable preservation of hearing but the process may result in a longer recovery time. About 95 percent of patients with small and medium tumors will have no permanent facial paralysis following surgery; however, roughly a third of patients with large tumors will have some permanent facial weakness following surgery.

The Gamma Knife(R) is an alternative treatment for selected acoustic neuromas with minimal short and long-term risks. The Gamma Knife(R) is a 20-ton medical instrument that emits 201 focused beams of gamma radiation into the direct location of the tumor with pin point precision and minimum effect on the surrounding healthy tissues. There are no incisions, little or no pain, and a low risk of complications.

"By adding the Gamma Knife(R) to our broad range of treatment options, our patients will now benefit from a comprehensive approach to their care," said Derald E. Brackmann, M.D., president of the House Clinic. "Good Samaritan Hospital has a long tradition of care in Los Angeles and we at the House Clinic are very excited to be a part of that tradition."

According to Marc Schwartz, M.D., a neurosurgeon with the House Clinic, "The Gamma Knife(R) capability at Good Samaritan Hospital is an option that allows patients to be treated without surgery. Recovery times with this procedure are much shorter." Dr. Schwartz has been using Gamma Knife(R) in the treatment of acoustic neuromas and other problems for approximately four years.

Good Samaritan Hospital is one of a few facilities on the West Coast with an updated Gamma Knife(R) Stereotactic Model C unit. The new unit uses the latest technology to administer gamma radiation to treat benign and malignant tumors and other functional brain disorders. To date, Good Samaritan Hospital's Gamma Knife(R) program has treated over 2,200 patients.

About the House Clinic and the House Ear Institute

House Clinic and House Ear Institute are affiliated with the University of Southern California School of Medicine and provide instructions in otology and neurotology to the otolaryngology residents at the USC/LAC Medical Center. House Clinic physicians also volunteer their time teaching specialty courses in the House Ear Institute's education program and around the world. To date, over 22,000 doctors have received professional training in the House Ear Institute facilities.

About Good Samaritan Hospital

First opened in 1885, Good Samaritan Hospital is a 408-bed tertiary care facility offering some of the most comprehensive care in Los Angeles. Good Samaritan Hospital offers Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Neurosciences program featuring the Gamma Knife(R) radiosurgery, Opthalmologic Program including Retinal Surgery, Orthopedic Surgical Program including Sports Medicine, Oncology Program using the latest in radiation therapy -- IMRT and HDR, Women's Services, Kidney Stone services, Samaritan Imaging Center, Transfusion-Free Medicine and Surgery Center, and Emergency Services. Good Samaritan Hospital is affiliated with the USC Keck School of Medicine and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center. For more information visit www.goodsam.org.

Contacts
Good Samaritan Hospital
Katrina R. Bada, 213-977-2911

[chopper]

That's an odd twist on things, seeing as how they didn't seem in favor of radiation at all (and based on the info they sent in my information packet).

[suelay]

I'm glad to see they are offering now, but agree that it is an odd change of position.  Do they now feel they have enough reliable long term information to offer it? or are they just doing because so many patients want the less-invasive option?  are they only going to recommend for older patients? 

[Mark]

My personal opinion is given HEI's historical lack of support for radiosurgery formally ( HEI web site) and informally ( conversations with AN patients that I am aware of), I find the sudden endorsement of GK very strange. I would chalk it up to an effort to stem a losing market share situation. The number of individuals choosing radiosurgery over surgery for the small to medium tumor size has been growing over the past few years which has probably impacted HEI's case load somewhat. Given their reputation as one of the best places for surgery of AN's, I've always thought it would be to their advantage to embrace both options and be perceived as more balanced in their recommendations. It remains to be seen if the leopard really can change his spots in this case. Will they really fully utilize the GK in their recommendations or just use it to appear more credible when they recommend surgery. It will be interesting to see what newly diagnosed folks who contact them report their experiences to be. Personally, I think it would be great if HEI really could establish itself as a credible source for both options instead of just surgery as they are today.

Just my 2 cents

Mark

[marystro]

If HEI is truly innovative and patient centric, they should embrace all options including fractionated treatments like Cyberknife.  I applaude their top notch surgery team who has treated many patients to wellness.  However if a patient is a good candidate for other options they should also be objective to provide the appropriate treatment recommendation.  I noticed they abruptly stopped the consult with me over the telephone after I mentioned I was also considering CK.  I am sure that was just my one time personal experience which may not be true in all cases with House.  I just had the most pleasant medical experience with CK at Stanford this week.  What I learned is that I have to manage my own health care by active research to make the most fact based decision for effective treatment plan.

My 2-cents,
Mary

[Mark]

Bruce,

very well said, your observations and comments relative to your recent experience are "spot on" from my perspective. As  one of my docs said when I was struggling with my decision, "Surgeons are like carpenters, they're trained to use a hammer and every situation looks like a nail".

Said another way, when you go to a doctor with a problem, he/she will solve it with the tools available to them and not reference options they can't do. It just reinforces a point Mary made in her post earlier today that it is critical for everyone to take charge of their healthcare and scrutinize all the information they hear and get it from credible sources before making their choice of treatment.

Mark

[marystro]

There may be some rare cases when a neurosurgeon actually refers you to CK.  In San Diego, Dr. David Bush the neurosurgeon referred to me by my ENT recommended CK to me before I even mentioned that I was considering CK at Stanford.  Despite his mentioning of the potential risks such as possible further hearing loss and lack of long term results of CK, it was still a nice surprise since such an unbiased opinion was unexpected from a neurosurgeon.  That was when I decided on CK.  Physicians like Dr. Bush are those you should seek consultation with but they may not be the norm.  My ENT initially fax'ed me House Clinic information also and has never heard about Stanford.  I had to provide him with Dr. Chang's information for him to refer me there and also pushed for referral with Dr. Bush for 2nd opinion.  See, you do need to take matters in your own hands when it comes to your own health care management.

Mary

[okiesandy]

I saw this press release on another AN fourn. As an almost patient of Dr. Brackmann and a cyberknife convert I know or thought I knew Dr. B's position on any type of radiation. When I canceled surgery with him he emailed and sent me mounds and pounds of negitive radiation white papers and opinions. He say why don't you have it out and be done with it. Since then I know were are never done with it.

I hope this machine is not going to sit there and grow cob webs. House at one time was a very forward thinking institution. They were pioneers in thier field.

I guess my neurosurgeron (who does surgery, GK and CK and was trained on the West Coast) was correct when she said in her opinion in the very near future surgery will become almost a thing of the past for AN except when it is large or in a place that would not be prudent to do radiaion.

I have the upmost respect for Dr. Brackmann. In fact if I was to have to have surgery in the future it would be him. Those Sunday afternoon talks with him sure gave me a lot of information and calmed me down a lot. He also helpled me with me with medications that my then local doctor had me on. Worked a lot better. However, he did go a little off the deep end when I told him I was haveing radiation. Not as bad as my local who started talking about all of the AN's that are turning into cancer after radiation and how I would have to have surgery any way and it would be worse. Yudda, yudda, yudda, you know the lines.

This will be an interesting thing to follow. Wonder when the will get CK?  I can't imagine them letting that go past them. If they really use the machine then we will ultimately know what is the best treatment.

Hugs,

Sandy