MTRH said the patient, identified only as MW, has shown remarkable improvement following the procedure, which represents a major milestone in the hospital's capabilities to treat complex neurological and oncological conditions.

SRS is a highly precise form of therapeutic radiation that can target abnormalities in the brain and spine, including cancer, epilepsy, trigeminal neuralgia, and arteriovenous malformations. 

A system that uses non-invasive tumour-destroying radiation to treat cancers throughout the body, as it minimizes exposure to the surrounding healthy tissue.

According to Dr. Jesse Opakas, Director of Hemato-Oncology at MTRH, "SRS is a minimally invasive, non-surgical radiation therapy that uses precisely focused radiation beams to treat brain tumors, vascular abnormalities, and other brain disorders. It delivers a high dose of radiation to a small, well-defined target area while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue."

The procedure can be used to treat various conditions for brain tumors: Benign and malignant brain tumors, including acoustic neuromas, meningiomas, and metastatic brain tumors, vascular abnormalities like arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), dural arteriovenous fistulas, and cavernomas, and functional disorders such as trigeminal neuralgia, epilepsy, and movement disorders.

The TrueBeam technology employed by MTRH is noted for its precision, accuracy, and speed. Most treatments take only 5-10 minutes, with patients typically requiring between 1 and 5 sessions. In the case of MW, five SRS sessions were needed to treat metastatic breast cancer that had spread to the brain.

Dr. Opakas noted that other systems capable of delivering SRS include Gamma knife, Cyber knife, and charged particle accelerator. 

The notable advantages of SRS include its minimally invasive nature, precise targeting of tumor(s), limited number of treatment sessions, and effectiveness for difficult-to-reach tumors that might be inaccessible or unsuitable for invasive surgeries.

This new capability adds to MTRH's existing range of radiotherapy treatment techniques, which include Volumetric Arc Therapy (VMAT), Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT), Brachytherapy, and 3D conformal radiotherapy, as well as chemotherapy and various surgical procedures.

Dr. Philip Kirwa, the CEO of MTRH, expressed gratitude to the Government of Kenya, the Ministry of Health, the hospital's Board, and Staff for enabling the launch of this service. 

"This is an impactful investment that will touch many lives. SRS is revolutionizing modern oncology and neurosurgery treatment modality. It is a big leap in getting better outcomes for patients," he stated.

MTRH said the procedures are covered under the Social Health Authority (SHA).