Author Topic: Gamma Knife scars  (Read 17656 times)

MDemisay

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Gamma Knife scars
« on: March 22, 2012, 10:58:53 am »
How long do the Gamma Knife scars take to fade? Since they anchor or screw the pins into your skull in 4 spots, I am concerned are there any permanent scars left behind? Do they go away on their own? What sort of plastic surgery is available for scars, if any?

I understand that there will be 2 in front (forehead) and 2 (behind) in the hair area.

Although I am concerned with infection from oily hair, I am concerned about forehead scars!

Could anyone here help me?

Mike
1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

sunfish

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2012, 01:02:22 pm »
I have a co-worker who had GK for an AN.  Young guy, who essentially keeps his hair shaved off (we're law enforcement types).  I can't see a single mark on his head where those pins were, and it's only been about a year ago!
Rt. side 14mm x 11mm near brain stem
Severe higher frequency hearing loss
I use a hearing aid (Dot 20 by Resound)
Balance issues improving!!!!
Cyberknife March17, 2010
Roper Hospital Cancer Center, Charleston, SC

PaulW

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2012, 01:10:36 pm »
A person in our local support group had Gamma Knife about 3 months ago
Could not see a thing.
10x5x5mm AN
Sudden Partial hearing loss 5/28/10
Diagnosed 7/4/10
CK 7/27/10
2/21/11 Swelling 13x6x7mm
10/16/11 Hearing returned, balance improved. Feel totally back to normal most days
3/1/12 Sudden Hearing loss, steroids, hearing back.
9/16/13 Life is just like before my AN. ALL Good!

mk

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2012, 07:25:02 pm »
I wouldn't worry about the pin sites, they are really very small and disappear quite quickly with no scars left. The pin on my left forehead side was placed a bit deeper, so took a bit longer to heal completely, but really nothing was visible after a couple of weeks. There is a possibility of some slight swelling in the forehead immediately after treatment, which can be avoided by using cold compresses.


Marianna
GK on April 23rd 2008 for 2.9 cm AN at Toronto Western Hospital. Subsequent MRIs showed darkening initially, then growth. Retrosigmoid surgery on April 26th, 2011 with Drs. Akagami and Westerberg at Vancouver General Hospital. Graduallly lost hearing after GK and now SSD but no other issues.

WilliamS

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2012, 05:25:39 am »
I had GK on Tuesday, 3/20/12.  I was told they wouldcompletely heal in 7 to 10 days.  After three days the ones on my forehead are very small and most people would not even notice them.  Right now they are two dots on either side of my forehead. 
Bill

3.3cm
volume:  15cc
Diag:  1/18/12
GK:     3/20/12
MRI 9/12  3.0-2.8-2.5
MRI 4/13  2.8-2.9-2.3
MRI 4/14  2.7-2.7-2.2
MRI 4/16  2.6-2.2-1.9
MRI 2/20  1.7-1.5-1.2

MDemisay

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #5 on: March 23, 2012, 10:17:58 am »
Thanks everybody! I knew I could count on you! This leaves me relieved and eager to proceed with treatment. I can take the increased tinnitus, and balance issues more readily now because I have a high visibility job. :D

thanks again!

Mike
1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

MDemisay

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2012, 11:59:18 am »
Hi Everybody,

Here are my concerns:

1. Will there be any difficulty with cleaning the areas? Washing them carefully?
2. Is there any ointment that I can apply that would help with healing?
3. How soon can I start wearing baseball caps again without being concerned about irritations around the 4 pin sites?

Does anyone have any experience out there?

Mike


1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

mk

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2012, 05:53:29 pm »
Hi,

I didn't do anything in particular, other than my normal hygiene. My left pin site bled a bit more after the frame was removed and took a bit longer to fade, but once I took the band aid off I didn't really do anything more than I would have done for any minor cut.

One thing that I should have done though and I didn't, was to apply cool compresses to avoid swelling in my forehead after the treatment. This was in the instructions that I received, but obviously I didn't read them carefully, so my forehead was a bit swollen for a day or two. Overall I would say that after 3-4 days nobody could have noticed that I had done anything.

Marianna
GK on April 23rd 2008 for 2.9 cm AN at Toronto Western Hospital. Subsequent MRIs showed darkening initially, then growth. Retrosigmoid surgery on April 26th, 2011 with Drs. Akagami and Westerberg at Vancouver General Hospital. Graduallly lost hearing after GK and now SSD but no other issues.

sharondaniels

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2012, 07:07:12 pm »
Had GK on Dec 1 2011. I was back to work with two small pin sized dots on Monday.  No signs of those dots now.  Preparing mentally for June 14th. First 6mo checkup/MRI.
Sharon
 1.5cm AN right side diagnosed 10/12/11
 GK 12/1/11 at UVA
from VA

MDemisay

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2012, 09:32:11 pm »
Guys,
How soon after the procedure will I feel normal again?


Mike
1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

Bonnie B.

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2012, 07:54:09 am »
I had gamma knife surgery about five weeks ago and have NO scars at all.

Good luck

1.7 cm AN
diagnosed January, 2012 - no hearing L ear
GK surgery done March 15, 2012 at Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Ct.
Dr. Chiang and Dr. Yu

MDemisay

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2012, 12:34:43 pm »
Hi Bonnie and everybody,

The procedure has been scheduled for after my daughter's college graduation because I wanted to look right for pictures taken with my family. June 11th with the Sisti/Isaacson team! Hooray! After exhaustive searching and pro and con lists going over Docs, Institutions and considering follow-up, I think I made the right decision that I feel comfortable with.

I just am praying for no growth until then, yea I know 8 months does seem like a long time, but Dr. Sisti said just as long as I have it done in 2012.  I am under the wire by 6 months.

I just want "IRV" to die!

I just want to get back to my new normal and enjoy life again.........

Mike
1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

luckyone

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2012, 05:34:16 pm »
I had my GK on 4/3, and 10 days later, no scars whatsoever.  It probably does have to do also with your skin... my skin heals very fast.  In fact, if I get a pimple (at 42 years old LOL) it heals after the next day.  Whereas my wife, hers ends up in a scar for months!!!! 

I would like to say that the most important aspect is to do the cold compresses for at least 48 hours after GK.  I did it for 72 hours, even pretty much slept upright.  I can say I have NOT had any headaches post GK.  In fact, I sometimes think my GK was a scam.. that I was put into a machine that just made some clicking sounds.  :D  But yeah, I did feel some pain deep inside where I believe my tumor is, a week after my GK... not the same as prior to GK where I had migranes and headaches.  But that deep pain has since went away.

I am waiting patiently for my first post GK follow up.  The doctor wanted me to come back in 2 months instead of 3 which makes me a bit worried, but he has assured me I won't die from AN, instead from something else... I trust my dr (Dr Duma) 100%

The important thing is even after my hearing loss, balance issues and tinnitus, my wife still thinks I am a 9.9 out of 10 :D and that's all that matters!
03/03/2012 Lost partial hearing left ear
03/12/2012 MRI showing 0.8cm x 1.59cm x ?
03/13/2012 Diagnosed with AN left ear
03/13/2012 - 03/16/2012 Depressed like there was no tomorrow
04/03/2012 GK with Dr Duma @ Hoag
02/17/2014 Tumor stopped growing, shrank a bit!

MDemisay

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2012, 02:11:11 pm »
Dear sunfish, Paul W., mk, William S,sharondaniels, Bonnie B. and luckyone,

It has been officially 5 weeks and 3 hours and 15 minutes since my GK radiation procedure where Dr. Sisti poured 12 gy radiation into my acoustic neuroma tumor aptly named "Irv" I then renamed my tumor which has been rendered dead "DEAD IRV".

I am very pleased to report almost no scarring has occurred! You would not be able to see them if I didn't know where they were!!

Rendering my fears of disfiguring scars just that FEAR!

Much ado about nothing!

All of you people on the fence of what to do about the scars? Answer is that they fade!!! I am personally glad I chose this form so that I wouldn't have to undergo drug treatment involved in otherwise long and tedious reapplications of a tightly fitting CK mask.

Mike

It is my hope that this last post is useful to you that are about to consider undergoing one shot GK!
1974 - Dr. Michelson  Colombia Presbyterian removal of 3 Arterio Venous Malformations
2004- Dr. Sisti  NY Presbyterian subtotal removal of 3.1 cm AN,
2012 - June 11th Dr. Sisti Gamma Knife (easy-breasily done)"DEAD IRV" play taps!
Research, research, research then decide and trust in God's Hands!

JWW

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Re: Gamma Knife scars
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2012, 09:34:10 pm »
"I am personally glad I chose this form so that I wouldn't have to undergo drug treatment involved in otherwise long and tedious reapplications of a tightly fitting CK mask."

Mike, what do you mean by this...."undergo drug treatment for a tightly fitting mask"?

JW