Dr Aditya Gupta, Director –Neurosurgery and Cyberknife, Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
Meet Simran, a 32-year-old woman who had been experiencing persistent, severe headaches in the left side of her head. At first, she dismissed them as stress-related, but as time went on, her symptoms worsened. She began to notice weakness in her left arm, occasional numbness in her fingers, and even a couple of instances where her left leg felt paralyzed for a few seconds. Alarmed by these symptoms, Simran decided to seek medical attention.
After consulting with a neurologist and undergoing a series of tests, including a high-resolution MRI, Simran received a life-altering diagnosis. She had an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in her brain. An AVM is a condition where there are abnormal connections between arteries and veins, leading to the formation of tangled blood vessels. In Simran’s case, this AVM was disrupting the natural flow of blood in her brain and putting her at risk of a severe and potentially fatal rupture.
We explained to Simran and her family that AVMs can be extremely dangerous, as they may remain asymptomatic until they rupture, causing bleeding in the brain. In Simran’s case, timely intervention was crucial to prevent permanent damage or loss of life.
The signs and symptoms of Simran’s AVM included severe headaches localized to one side of her head, weakness and numbness in her left arm, and episodes of temporary paralysis in her left leg. Dr. Gupta and his team discussed the available treatment options, and they recommended Cyberknife Radiosurgery as the best course of action for Simran.
Cyberknife Radiosurgery is a cutting-edge, minimally invasive procedure that offers a significant advantage over conventional open surgery for complex brain AVMs. It delivers high doses of precisely targeted radiation to the AVM, gradually shrinking and eliminating it. This innovative treatment reduces the long-term risk of AVM hemorrhage, making it a safer and more efficient option.
On the day of her procedure, Simran arrived at the hospital with a mix of anxiety and hope. The Cyberknife Radiosurgery system featured a computer-assisted robotic arm that would deliver multiple beams of high-frequency radiation to the AVM from various directions. The advanced technology automatically tracked and corrected for any movement during the procedure, ensuring the exact delivery of radiation to the treatment site.
During the 30-minute procedure, Simran relaxed in her own clothes, listening to soothing music, while the robotic arm performed its precise work around her. The best part was that there was no need for anesthesia or invasive head frames, which are often required in traditional techniques like gamma knife. After the treatment, she could return to normal activities immediately, with no side effects or pain.
Over the next few years, Simran’s AVM gradually disappeared, thanks to the slow and safe occlusion achieved by Cyberknife Radiosurgery. Today, she is living a healthy, symptom-free life and is immensely grateful for the expertise and the advanced technology that made her recovery possible.
In cases where AVMs may present with bleeding or be small and surface-level, microsurgical removal remains a viable option for immediate cure. However, for complex cases like Simran’s, Cyberknife Radiosurgery has revolutionized the treatment landscape, offering patients a minimally invasive, safe, and effective alternative to conventional open surgery.