FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 20, 2000
Contact: Mark D. Hendrickson
(732) 632-1530
GAMMA KNIFE
UNVEILING PLACES
NEW JERSEY NEUROSCIENCE INSTITUTE AT
JFK MEDICAL CENTER
AT THE FOREFRONT OF MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY
The New Jersey Neuroscience
Institute at JFK Medical Center in Edison unveiled the state's first Gamma
Knife technology for bloodless brain surgery at a reception held on
Thursday, March 9, 2000. State and local dignitaries, physicians, members
of the community and hospital board members and staff were able to view,
first-hand, the future of neurosurgery in the heart of New Jersey. Plainfield
officials joining the festivities included Mayor Al McWilliams, and A.
Eugene Baucum, Jr., director of Facilities and Management Services for
the Plainfield Neighborhood Health Services Corporation.
The Gamma Knife is an advanced radiosurgical procedure so unique and
powerful it can treat tumors deep within the brain without a single
incision.
This innovative technology delivers narrow beams of radiation through
201 portals evenly distributed around the patient's head, creating a
precise intersection of beams exactly conforming to the location, size
and shape of the desired tumor site in the brain. The radiation is at
it's most powerful level when the narrow beams converge at the tumor
site, thus preventing injury to the surrounding healthy brain tissue.
"For Solaris Health System and JFK Medical Center, the arrival of Gamma Knife reinforces our commitment to a leadership role in the diagnosis, treatment and research of neurological disorders," explained John P. McGee, president and CEO of Solaris Health System.
"When we first made the decision to open the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute, it was simply a vision. Today, I can't help but be amazed at how our vision on the horizon has transformed into a facility that has some of the most technologically advanced equipment in the state, including the Gamma Knife," added Thomas Sharp, chairman of the JFK Board of Directors.
During the
two-hour presentation for the Gamma Knife Unit, guests were treated to
a tour of the state-of-the-art Gamma Knife technology and given the
unique opportunity to speak with the team of physicians who will
oversee the Gamma Knife program.
"We are extremely excited to bring this important piece of
technology to JFK," commented Rosario
Zappulla, M.D. medical director of the New Jersey
Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center. "The Gamma Knife
offers multiple benefits over traditional brain surgery, including
reduced pain, a shorter recovery period and the reduced risk of
complications, all without any incisions."
Developed in Sweden in 1968 after two decades of research, physicians at 135 centers around the world have successfully used the Gamma Knife to treat more than 135,000 people.
A dozen years ago, patients suffering from tumors nested deep within the brain were faced with the cruel dilemma of living with a potentially fatal disease or undergoing high-risk surgery. With the introduction of the Gamma Knife technology, patients have a viable alternative to invasive surgery.
Located at JFK Medical Center in Edison, the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute is the state's premier facility dedicated to neurological and neurosurgical conditions in both adults and children. For more information about the new Gamma Knife Unit or other programs and services offered at the New Jersey Neuroscience Institute at JFK Medical Center, call (732) 321-7950.