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Riverview medical center
Pain-Free CyberKnife ® Treatment Can Replace Surgery
Richard Tisdale, 51, needed options. For
nine years, the Jackson resident suffered
with bouts of extreme facial pain
due to a condition called trigeminal neuralgia.
It occurs when the sheath that protects
the face’s trigeminal nerve gets damaged,
such as from pressure caused by a neighboring
blood vessel. Richard had tried several
medicines, but nothing seemed to work.
“I couldn’t wash my face, shave, or
brush my teeth when the condition was
active,” he recalls. Then his neurosurgeon,
Bruce R. Rosenblum, M.D., suggested
CyberKnife ® treatment.
What Is CyberKnife?
CyberKnife is a system for planning and delivering
precise radiation therapy using robotics.
Despite the name, there’s no cutting involved.
CyberKnife can treat cancerous and
benign tumors, as well as trigeminal neuralgia
and blood vessel problems. It may be a
good choice for treating complex or hardto-reach
tumors. It also provides an option
for patients who cannot have anesthesia or
surgery due to poor health.
How Surgeons Use CyberKnife
First, patients like Richard have imaging
scans, such as CT and MRI, to create a map
of the affected body part. Data from the
scans goes into the CyberKnife software, and
doctors use the software to plan treatment.
“As the surgeon, I outline the exact
contour of the target structure, pinpointing
where radiation should be administered.
Then I outline nearby critical structures,
where radiation exposure should be minimized,”
explains Dr. Rosenblum, who is
director of neuro surgery at Riverview
Medical Center and codirector of the
Riverview CyberKnife Center.
Next, a radiation oncologist — Nathan
Kaufman, M.D., in Richard’s case —
As one of our IT specialists, Richard Tisdale knows technology. But technology has a whole new place
in his life, after CyberKnife relieved him of nearly unbearable nerve pain.
prescribes the appropriate dose of radiation.
The patient then returns for treatment and
lies on the CyberKnife table. The CyberKnife
robot moves around the patient, sending
beams of radiation to the target structure
from many angles. This destroys the target
cells. During treatment, the robot rescans
the patient often and adjusts to the patient’s
position, even to slight movements that
occur with breathing. This makes the
radiation delivery extremely precise.
What Are the Benefits?
CyberKnife treatment is painless. It requires
no anesthesia. Almost all patients return to
normal activities right away without side
effects. Because radiation delivery is so
precise, doctors can use high doses without
significant risk of nearby healthy tissue being
damaged. With higher doses, patients need
just one to five treatments of approximately
90 minutes each, not several weeks of daily
treatment as with standard radiation therapy.
Since his CyberKnife treatment in
February 2007, Richard has had no side
effects. Dr. Rosenblum says it’s unlikely that
Richard’s symptoms will return. “I was
literally cured,” says Richard. “CyberKnife
gave me my life back.” •
about the doctor
Bruce R. Rosenblum, M.D.
Board certified in Neurosurgery
and Pain Management
Shrewsbury | 732-460-1522
Healthy Holiday Eating
Yes, it’s possible to eat healthy around tempting holiday treats. Riverview teams with Whole Foods Market on
November 17 at a FREE seminar to show you how. Take away recipes and healthy cooking tips! See page 22 for details.
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Meridian HealthViews November/December 2009