North Palm Beach Woman to Undergo Revolutionary Brain Surgery Feb 8

LONG BEACH, CA, February 05, 2011 (Press-News.org) Joyce Grinn isn't...grinning that is. The 68-year-old North Palm Beach resident suffers from a brain tumor that has plagued her life for 2 years. In that short time, she has gone from an active, happy grandmother of six to a near recluse whose bouts with nausea, dizziness, and general discomfort have nearly depleted her joy for life.

She has been to six doctors who have told her the same thing...the tumor, an arachnoid cyst, is too difficult to remove & a series of medications is the answer. That form of treatment, however, has taken its toll on her overall health and lifestyle and she can't imagine living the rest of her life on heavy meds.

Tired of doctors treating her symptoms she began looking online for a permanent solution and found the Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles where lives are being saved thanks to a revolutionary, minimally invasive approach to brain surgery. She is scheduled for the operation on Tues, Feb 8 and is counting on world renowned Hrayr Shahinian, M.D. to use a small endoscope to vacuum out the tumor and relieve her symptoms - a form of surgery he has performed more than 4,000 times.

The alternative surgery that neurosurgeons depend on is the craniotomy that involves removing a section of skull, moving the brain and then surgically removing the tumor. This relatively barbaric procedure is not as dependable, hospital stays and recovery are longer, and the chance of complications is higher.

Shahinian is confident that he'll be able to help Grinn and the patient is looking forward to restarting her life.