Patient Stories
Sutter Neurosurgery
Anthony – Brave 5-Year-Old & Gamma Knife
When 5-year-old Anthony started complaining about his aching head, his mom Tammy initially thought it was just another headache. But when it got worse, Tammy called 911 and raced her son to the emergency room at Sutter Memorial Hospital.
After running tests, Anthony was diagnosed with bleeding arterio-venous malformation. His neurosurgeon, Sam Ciricillo, M.D., FACS, suggested Gamma Knife Radiosurgery. The treatment, which is unlike traditional surgery, uses a sophisticated instrument that pinpoints and delivers precise beams of radiation to tumors and other brain abnormalities and eliminates the risk of surgical complications.
Anthony’s recovery wasn’t easy. But nearly a year after surgery Anthony was back to his normal childhood activities of running and playing with his friends. He no longer has seizures or headaches and all his scans show that the arterio-venous malformation is considerably smaller and may even be obliterated already.
More information about Sutter Gamma Knife Radiosurgery Center.