The Wellington Hospital has announced the introduction of The Gamma Knife Icon to treat patients with brain tumours, vascular and functional disorders at the dedicated London Gamma Knife Centre, in partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust.

The Gamma Knife Icon uses radiation to treat tumours and lesions in the brain. It can treat both malignant and benign brain tumours, vascular disorders in the brain including cavernous malformations and arteriovenous malformations as well as a range of neurological disorders including Trigeminal Neuralgia, Parkinson’s tremor, OCD and epilepsy.

The new technology will provide more streamlined treatment plans, meaning patients will not be required to stay in hospital overnight, will have shorter recovery times and have the option to use a custom face mask.

Using this new equipment, the multidisciplinary team of neurosurgeons, oncologists, radiologists and physicists can target and treat conditions with higher accuracy than any other system within 0.5mm, enabling consultants to deliver a high dose of radiation to the affected areas. The design of the gamma knife also means that there is much less radiation delivered to the rest of the body, reducing the risk to the patient from treatment.

The launch of The Gamma Knife Centre is part of a £20 million investment in The Wellington Hospital.

Mr Ian Sabin, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Skull Base Surgeon and Medical Director of the London Gamma Knife Centre, said: “The launch of The Gamma Knife in the 1980s meant many patients no longer had to undergo conventional brain surgery which can be traumatic to the body and incur lengthy recovery times.

“This new technology means we can offer patients the most accurate and precise radiosurgery completely tailored to them and their condition. Treatment times will be quicker, which means I will be able to treat more people within a day, and patients will be able to go back to their daily activities almost immediately after.”

John Reay, Chief Executive Officer of The Wellington Hospital, said: “The new centre has been launched as part of our commitment to providing our patients from the UK and oversees with world-class and comprehensive care.”