Question

Episode 1 of the documentary Emperor of all Maladies titled Magic Bullets
The Emperor of all Maladies: Episode 1: Magic Bullets

6. What is a “hot knife”? Discuss the pros and cons of using the hot knife on patients?

Answer 1

Hot knife is the radiation treatment used to treat tumor. It is a radiosurgery replaces the surgeon’s scalpel with multiple narrow beams of radiation targeted to a specific area. Therefore it is called the knife.

eg. Gamma knife

Pros of Gamma knife on the patient

No need of head shaving, there will not be incisions, No general anesthesia, there are Predictable outcomes with gamma knife, Patients can go home on the same day (time lost from employment is minimal), Patients can resume their everyday activities.People who would be at high risk for complications by conventional surgery can use this opportunity (older patients).It can be used when prior surgery has failed to control the disease process. It is cost effective (20% less than conventional neurosurgery). It is bloodless, virtually painless. It eliminates risk of infection, hemorrhage, and spinal fluid leakage of open skull surgery. there are no scarring or potential disfigurements

Cons of gamma Knife: Small risk of advertise radiation effects (2 – 4%), resulting in swelling. there may be local pain and swelling in the scalp, Headache, Skin reddening and irritation , Nausea, Seizure, Local loss of hair in superficial lesions, Local brain swelling in treatment site,Visual loss and Deafness