Gamma-Knife: Radio surgery in Greece: Efficiency of the method for patients with vestibular schwannomas (clinical assessment)

Abstract

Vestibular schwannomas are histologically benign tumors which arise from the Schwann cells in the acoustic division of the 8th cranial nerve. It is important to distribute the lowest possible dose during the "visual" route of the facial nerve around the ventricular part of the tumor, as the latter is located at the pontomedullary junction on the anterior margin of the internal auditory duct. We can note that using doses of gamma irradiation we can satisfactorily control the volume of the lesion, as is confirmed by the patients' bi-annually follow-up appointments while there are a low percentage of adverse events that involve the cranial nerves.