- Copyright 2023 NeuroCure - Konstantia Stoforou MD PhD - Neurosurgeon
LASER VISUALASE – INTERSTITIAL THERMAL THERAPY (ITT)
VISUALASE LASER ABLATION ITT ( INTERSTITIAL THERMAL THERAPY)
The Interstitial Thermal Therapy (ITT) system with Laser Visualase is another treatment option for brain cancer, either primary (glioblastoma, etc.) or metastatic from other organs of the body, with specific indications and when there is no possibility for any other type of treatment. It is also been approved for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy.
The use of Laser in medicine is well known in many specialties including neurosurgery, but its targeted use in real time on the brain with external application and minimally invasive techniques has been developed in recent years keeping pace with the developments of advanced imaging and robotic technologies.
Robotic system for Laser application design.
The Laser is applied, under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance, to relatively small lesions in deep areas of the brain that cannot be safely accessed surgically, and acts through a source of light energy that causes an increase in temperature in the pathological tissue in order to acchieve its destruction.
Visualase system is installed on the MRI scanner for accurate planning of the “target”.
The light energy reaches the target area through a small laser probe and the temperature in the target area increases.
Catheter for applying the Laser.
Simultaneously with the application, real-time thermographic MRI imaging is performed and temperature changes in the pathological tissue are clearly mapped, ensuring precise control of its destruction without affecting healthy areas of the brain.
Visualase IT system – Real-time Laser application.
The treatment process with Visualase ITT is short and the patient can be discharged the next day.
The placement of the laser probe, only 1.65 mm in diameter, is performed in aseptic conditions in the operating theater, through a very small skin incision and a 3.2 mm diameter hole in the skull with a robotically assisted placement system.
The patient is then transferred to the specially configured area of the MRI scanner, where he is connected to the laser source and the MRI scanner, through which the Visualase Laser ITT application is carried out in real time with imaging and special software.
The application of the laser starts and we control its extent, intensity and time in real time.
The treatment may also be applied to other parts of the brain if it has been deemed necessary and the appropriate catheters have been placed.
When the entire procedure is completed, the catheters are removed and the patient is taken to the hospital ward, where he usually remains for 24 hours.