MARQUETTE -- Since May of 2011, Jodi Ball has been battling three brain tumors.
"I went to the emergency room because I was having headaches. My parents' neighbor is a doctor, and he suggested that I go and get checked," said Ball.
She underwent surgery, but one of the tumors was too deep and radiation was the only option, until a new surgical procedure, called a Brain Path, became available in August. Marquette General Hospital is the first in the U.S. to offer it.
So how does it work? Neurosurgeon Richard Rovin says it starts by entering the brain with a four centimeter cut and then inserting a tube through the natural folds of the brain.
"Combination of suction and cutting mechanism to remove the tumor. It doesn't generate heat, and it's safe to surrounding tissue, so it's a real step up from what we have used in the past," said Rovin.
The result is a less invasive procedure. Within minutes, the tumor is removed and recovery process begins. Neurosurgeon Amin Kassam says people are on their way the same day.
"Take the tube out and the brain beats, beats and beats. The water we displace goes away, and it closes in front of you. So you have not done anything to the surface, and the door literally closes in front of you," said Kassam.
For Jodi, there's no second guessing her decision.
"I'm glad I went the route that I did, so, I mean, it was not anything like surgery," Ball said.
She's not alone in her fight. Officials say every year more than 200,000 individuals battle brain tumors. Doctors hope this new surgery will lower that number.
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