My mom had a minor stroke last month. She was diagnosed to have Arteriovenous malformation or AVM in her brain. She also has diabetes and the doctors said that the AVM was likely caused by her diabetes.

She needs to undergo surgery to remove the AVM. She has 2 options, the conventional way of cutting through her skull to get to the AVM or using the newer method called Gamma Knife. It's a non-invasive radiosurgery usually done on tumors, but can also be used to treat AVMs.

Has anyone here undergone Gamma Knife surgery or knows anyone who did? How was the patient after the surgery? What are the side effects?