Newswise — Adam Zawislak has a passion for music, rock ‘n’ roll in particular. And as a DJ for STEEL 93 online radio, Adam loves connecting with other music fans. “We all have memories rooted in music, and these songs become your life’s soundtrack,” Adam says.
Without a doubt, Adam would do anything to keep hearing his favorite tunes – which is why he panicked when he started losing his hearing three years ago.
Sudden hearing lossAn MRI revealed that Adam, a resident of Vernon, NJ, had an acoustic neuroma, a noncancerous, slow-growing tumor that forms between the brain and inner ear. If left untreated, an acoustic neuroma can lead to serious problems such as vertigo, ringing in the ears, hearing loss and balance disorders.
Worried but determined to stop his hearing loss, Adam’s research led him to The Valley Hospital’s Gamma Knife Center, located more than an hour away from his home in Vernon. According to Adam, making the trek to Bergen County was an easy choice – “If there was a chance for me to beat this thing and keep my hearing intact, the Gamma Knife Center was the way to go.”
Going under the (gamma) knife Anthony D’Ambrosio, M.D., a neurosurgeon and co-director of the Gamma Knife Center, met with Adam to discuss next steps for treatment. He recommended gamma knife radiosurgery, which uses beams of highly focused radiation to shrink and destroy tumors of the head and neck without damaging surrounding tissue. With this noninvasive procedure, there’s less risk of permanent hearing loss compared to having neurosurgery to remove the tumor.
Adam had gamma knife radiosurgery in June 2012, and the procedure has prevented any further hearing loss from occurring. “Everything went smoothly, and the results have been great,” he shares.
These days, Adam is still on the airwaves, which is the highlight of his day. Says Adam: “I race home to do my radio thing—and just thank God I can hear.”
For more information about The Valley Hospital Gamma Knife Center visit valleygammaknife.com or call our nurse navigator at 201-634-5677.
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