Epilepsy treatment with MRI-guided stereotactic laser ablation

Specific brain areas give epileptic activity, and a person suffers seizures. By removing these areas with laser ablation, you can solve the problem of epilepsy forever. The treatment consists of several stages and is performed under general anesthesia. The first is a stereotactic neuronavigation procedure, which includes obtaining 3D images and determining the localization of the affected brain area. Then the neurosurgeon carefully makes a tiny hole in the skull. During the operation, a laser catheter (probe) with a diameter of 1. 65 mm is inserted into a hole drilled in the head and directed to the critical brain area. The ultra-thin and flexible catheter ensures maximum preservation of healthy brain tissue. The doctor monitors the course of the procedure using MRI, which is carried out in real-time. When the catheter reaches the desired area of the brain, the laser inside it emits energy. It increases the temperature in the zone of epileptic activity and thereby destroys pathologically active soft tissues of the brain. Doctors regulate the intensity and duration of laser exposure. Particular thermographic images assess nearby tissues' temperature for protecting vital brain areas. Then the patient stays under the supervision of a doctor for several days. MRI-guided laser epilepsy surgery is considered innovative and less invasive than traditional approaches, with good predictive results to remove seizures.