Gamma Knife Perfexion

Brain Surgery Without Incision

UAMS has a reputation for staying at the forefront of medical technology. Our dedication to finding the most up-to-date care for our patients led us to the Gamma Knife Perfexion^TM, the next generation in non-invasive brain surgery.

UAMS is the only facility in Arkansas that has the Gamma Knife Perfexion system, which treats brain tumors using stereotactic radiosurgery. The Gamma Knife precisely targets the tumor site and is able to reach tumors with ease anywhere in the brain. It is even capable of delivering stereotactic radiosurgery in the cervical spine.

More than 600,000 patients have been treated worldwide using the Gamma Knife, an average of 60,000 a year. There are also more than 3,000 peer-reviewed clinical studies to support its use. This revolutionary new system is designed to treat patients with brain disorders, including:

• Benign and malignant primary tumors
• Metastatic tumors 
• Vascular malformations
• Trigeminal neuralgia (a chronic pain condition that causes extreme, sporadic, sudden burning or shock-like face pain)

With the Gamma Knife, you will not have any incisions or general anesthesia. Anesthesia is given sometimes in cases involving young children or patients with a high anxiety level. Typically, you may leave the hospital the same day or the day after your procedure, making it cost-effective for you compared to open surgery.

When the Gamma Knife is used, it requires a team of specialists that always includes a neurosurgeon, radiation oncologist and radiation physicist. All of UAMS' Gamma Knife physicists have Ph.D. degrees. Our patients benefit from this procedure in many ways:

• FDA approved to treat brain metastases, including multiple lesions
• Can be administered without disrupting chemotherapy
• Minimized health risk
• Shorter hospitalization
• Lower costs

For more information or to find out if this treatment option is right for you, please call 501-603-1800 or email BaxterrhoadesKarenL@uams.edu to contact UAMS Gamma Knife Coordinator Karen Baxter-Rhodes, RN. 

About the Gamma Knife

About the Procedure

Frequently Asked Questions