Dr Ncumisa Jilata is a Johannesburg-based neurosurgeon. Her training in Gamma Knife radiosurgery was sponsored by Gamma Knife South Africa. The training was conducted by the experts at the Cleveland Clinic in the United States.
Dr Jilata says, “The training was an excellent experience, and contributed to my knowledge in how to manage patients with brain tumours. Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery provides a far safer alternative to microsurgery where the neurosurgeon has to open up the cranium under general anaesthetic. The Gamma Knife is actually not a knife, and no incisions take place. Instead, it precisely administers radiation beams to the tumour while sparing surrounding healthy tissue. It is particularly effective in treating small and deep-seated tumours.
