Complications following gamma knife radiosurgery

Between May 1992 and February 1994, 213 lesions in 183 consective patients were treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea. During this period, we experienced 2 deaths, 1 directly and another indirectly related to irradiation. Nonfatal complications included 1 tumor bleeding, and 4 ventriculoperitoneal shunts had to be inserted due to aggravation of preexisting hydrocephalus. Radiation-induced imaging changes developed in 23.6% of the cases followed up for more than 6 months. Among 24 lesions of 8 cavernous hemangiomas, all 4 cases with lesions larger than 1.5 cm³ developed imaging changes.