Isabella came to the Great Ormond Street Hospital #GOSH last year to be treated for a brain bleed with a pioneering technique called Gamma Knife Surgery provided by the Queen Square Gamma Knife Centre.
Isabella had a brain arteriovenous malformation (AVM) – a congenital condition where a “short circuit” forms between the arteries and the veins of the brain. AVMs can cause brain bleeds, which make children very unwell.
After discussing Isabella’s case with the multidisciplinary team at GOSH, Mr Greg James, Consultant Neurosurgeon, recommended Gamma Knife surgery. Mr James explains:
Gamma Knife works like a colander, it uses very weak beams which then all intersect and generate a high dose of radiation. Meanwhile, the surrounding brain area is protected and limited to a very low dose of radiation.
Isabella’s mother recalls her decision to go ahead with Gamma Knife surgery; “From my point of view, Gamma Knife was a less stressful treatment option for surgery. It is like magic! After treatment, Isabella just had pin marks on her head. The whole process was very smooth and she recovered quickly; she had the treatment on Tuesday and was back to school by the end of the week.”
