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“Intelligent Robotics vs. Surgery for brain and spine tumors”.  Tumors in critical organs like the brain and spine are quite difficult to treat with conventional

treatments available since these delicate organs can be damaged easily or can’t be operated upon

in many situations. Surgery can be painful, dangerous and frightening for most patients. Now

there is new hope in the form of intelligent robotic systems like CyberKnife. By eliminating the

need for invasive surgery, CyberKnife allows patients to recover more quickly, experience fewer

complications and immediately resume regular daily activities after treatment. Read on to know

more.

 Brain tumors:

The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor are largely dependent on where the tumor is located in

the brain. Some of the symptoms of a brain tumor can closely resemble the signs of other

conditions, making diagnosis a problem in the initial stages of the tumor. Headaches and blurred

vision are some of the common symptoms of brain tumor. Brain tumors can result in a different

type of headache than what a person is used to, and this change in the pattern could be the first

sign that something is wrong. The frequency and severity of headaches may increase. Brain

tumor headaches can get worse when a person engages in physical activity, or even if they do

something like sneeze, cough or kneel down. Normal headache medication does little for

someone suffering from a brain tumor headache. A person with a brain tumor may have vision

troubles, hearing problems and trouble maintaining one's balance.

Cyberknife for Brain Tumors: 

CyberKnife represents the next generation of radiosurgery systems, combining continuous

image-guidance technology with a compact linear accelerator that has the flexibility to move in

three dimensions according to the treatment plan. This intelligent robotics allows the treatment of 

tumors anywhere in the body. CyberKnife autonomously tracks, detects and corrects for tumor

and patient movement in real-time during the procedure, enabling delivery of precise, high dose

radiation typically with sub-millimeter accuracy.

Cyberknife is effective for controlling brain tumors. Brain surgery and chemotherapy have long

been the standard treatment procedures for brain tumors. CyberKnife truly redefines cancer care

with treatment given in few fractions. Delivering high dose with very little exposure to normal

tissues it is much more effective (Biologically) . CyberKnife procedures for brain tumor control

have been extremely effective thus far, with more than 90 percent of patients' tumors responding

to the treatment. Unlike conventional surgery for tumor reduction and control, CyberKnife is a

painless outpatient procedure.

Spine tumors:

Spinal tumors, although benign (noncancerous) in some cases, should be taken very seriously.These tumors often interfere with normal physiological functioning. If they spread, they can

cause chronic back pain, difficulties in walking and even permanent neurological damage.

Recognition of a spinal tumor can be scary and overwhelming for any patient. However,

knowing how to spot the symptoms of a spinal tumor can increase the likelihood of proper

treatment.

Back pain, especially in the middle or lower back, is the most frequent symptom in 80% of both

noncancerous and cancerous spinal tumors. The pain may be worse at night or on awakening.

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Other symptoms include loss of sensation or muscle weakness, especially in your legs, difficulty

walking, sometimes leading to falls, loss of bowel or bladder function and paralysis.

CyberKnife for Spine Tumors:

Tumors in the spine, particularly metastatic tumors, are difficult to remove surgically and are

difficult to treat with radiation because of the spinal cord. Damage to the spinal cord can result in

loss of movement, feeling or even paralysis. Because the spine moves, there is a high risk of its

damage with conventional radiation therapy devices.

Cyberknife ensures least damage to the spinal cord. Spinal surgery and radiation procedures

before CyberKnife were complicated for surgeons and frightening for patients. CyberKnife

makes non-invasive treatment of spinal tumors very accurate with computer precision and

relatively safe because the system has a feature – X sight Spine Tracking System - that tracks

tumor and patient movement throughout the procedure. CyberKnife adjusts its robotic arm as

needed to ensure that the spinal cord is not injured during radiation treatment. CyberKnife Xsight

Spine Tracking System tracks, detects and corrects for the movement of the spine in real-time

throughout the treatment. It allows doctors to deliver high doses of radiation with sub-millimeter

accuracy while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Many times minimal surgery may be

sufficient before CyberKnife and more often CyberKnife is required after surgery.