What are the risks of laser brain surgery?
Are there any safety concerns with thermal ablation therapy? Reported complications are rare. They may include narrowing of a person’s vision, bleeding in the brain, or nerve damage. All of these are also rarely seen with open surgery.
How successful is laser ablation?
Laser ablation surgery for drug-resistant epilepsy appears to be safe and effective, with just under two-thirds of patients remaining seizure-free after one year, according to a multicenter retrospective study published in November in Epilepsy Research.
How long does laser ablation surgery take?
Laser ablation is performed under general anesthesia. Usually, little or no hair needs to be removed. The entire procedure takes about four hours.
What type of laser is Visualase?
Overview. Visualase™ is an MRI-guided laser ablation system used to perform Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT), a minimally invasive surgical alternative to open craniotomy. LITT may benefit patients with brain tumors, radiation necrosis, or medically refractory focal epilepsy.
How long do side effects of brain radiation last?
You may develop fatigue after 2 to 3 weeks of treatment, and it can range from mild to severe. Fatigue may last 6 weeks to 12 months after your treatment ends. There are a lot of reasons why you may develop fatigue during treatment, including: The effects of radiation on your body.
Is brain ablation still used today?
Currently, the four main ablative techniques that are used for ablative brain surgery are radiofrequency thermoablation, stereotactic radiosurgery, laser interstitial thermal therapy and magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound thermal ablation.
Does an ablation require a hospital stay?
What happens during catheter ablation? A cardiologist performs catheter ablation in the hospital. You will need to stay at the hospital for six to eight hours after the procedure. Depending on your condition, you may go home that day or spend the night at the hospital.
What is thermal ablation?
(THER-mul a-BLAY-shun) A procedure using heat to remove tissue or a part of the body, or destroy its function.
What is the success rate of epilepsy surgery?
In general, research studies done to examine the benefits have shown that: Approximately 70% of people who undergo a temporal lobe resection have a positive result. A positive result includes being free from seizures or having only rare disabling seizures.
Can a brain tumor be removed by laser?
MRI-Guided Laser Ablation: What You Need to Know The treatment uses lasers to target and destroy, or ablate, the tumor. Compared to traditional open surgery ( craniotomy ) to remove a brain tumor, MRI-guided laser ablation can reduce pain after surgery and shorten recovery time.
How does laser ablation work?
Laser ablation or photoablation (also called laser blasting) is the process of removing material from a solid (or occasionally liquid) surface by irradiating it with a laser beam. At low laser flux, the material is heated by the absorbed laser energy and evaporates or sublimates.
What are the worst side effects of radiotherapy?
Treatment areas and possible side effects
| Part of the body being treated | Possible side effects |
|---|---|
| Brain | Fatigue Hair loss Memory or concentration problems Nausea and vomiting Skin changes Headache Blurry vision |
| Breast | Fatigue Hair loss Skin changes Swelling (edema) Tenderness |
What is visualase MRI guided laser ablation?
The Visualase MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System is indicated for use as a minimally invasive procedure to ablate, necrotize or coagulate soft tissue through interstitial irradiation or thermal therapy under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance for wavelengths 800nm through 1064nm in cranial neurosurgery.
Where can I find instructions for using the visualase™ procedure?
Watch an overview of the Visualase™ procedure workflow. Find the Instructions for Use in the product labeling supplied with each device or call Medtronic at 800-961-9055.
What is thermal ablation for epilepsy?
What is thermal ablation for epilepsy? Thermal ablation is also called laser interstitial thermal therapy or LITT procedure. It is a less invasive surgery for carefully selected people with epilepsy. It does not involve opening the bone covering the brain. LITT uses laser technology to deliver a set amount of energy to a specific brain region.
How does laser ablation affect tissue temperature?
As the laser light is delivered, temperature in the target area rises. Real-time MRI thermographic imaging clearly maps tissue temperature changes, providing you precise control of the tissue ablation.