New Hope To Patients With Inoperable Tumors

[Leif]

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?sec...ell&id=4454318

Here is an article I read a couple of days ago as for new techniques for inoperable tumours in the spinal cord. There is also a video (and add first) on the link. Leif

New Hope To Patients With Inoperable Tumors

Drills Away Bone To Get To Tumor

Aug. 11 - A UCSF neurosurgeon has developed a technique to remove large tumors, buried deep within the spine these tumors are often considered inoperable.

By all accounts, Stacy Hall shouldn't be here today, never mind working out at the gym. She had spinal tumors, and they were taking a serious and painful toll.


Stacy Hall, spine tumor patient: "It felt like a really, really bad sunburn that someone had taken sandpaper to."

Stacy Hall: "My legs were starting to collapse under me."

Spinal tumors can be exceedingly tricky to remove because they often wrap around delicate nerves and press on the spinal cord causing numbness and pain. Most surgeons won't operate on them because of the risk of doing as much harm as the tumor.

Christopher Ames, M.D. UCSF Neurosurgeon: "Paralysis, permanent weakness, permanent loss of function, an arm or a leg."

But Doctor Christopher Ames has developed a technique to remove the spinal tumors.

He drills away lots of bone, so he can get to the tumor without moving the spinal cord or nerves and risking damage.

Then, Dr. Ames rebuilds the spine with artificial material and special screws.

Christopher Ames, M.D.: "We developed this screw that actually goes all the way through and crosses the mid-line and comes out the other side."

Stacy Hall: "There was no pain. That was the first thing I noticed when I woke up."

Christopher Ames, M.D.: "It really is a great feeling, particularly to see them post-operatively and be able to tell them that their tumor is completely gone."

As was the case for Stacy, she didn't find out just how lucky she was until after her recovery.

Stacy Hall: "If I didn't have it, I wouldn't be here now."

Today, Stacy has a bit of a stiff neck, but she says it's a small price to pay to be able to spend time with her family.

Stacy Hall: "It's definitely worth it to be here."

Currently, UCSF Dr. Ames may be the only doctor in the country using this new procedure. But he hopes other surgeons will adopt this delicate surgery.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Vanessa deGier
Public Information Representative
University of California, San Francisco
3333 California Street
Suite 103, Box 0462
San Francisco, CA 94143-0462
(415) 476-2557

[Sue Pendleton]

Thanks Leif. This sounds a bit like gamma knife surgery for brain tumors. WTG Dr Ames!

[PointNoPoint]

This is awesome. The discoveries being made in neurosurgical medicine are amazing.