Abstract
Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a newly emerging modality for treating various conditions. LITT is a stereotactic and minimally invasive treatment that uses laser heat to ablate the lesion. To date, brain tumors and epilepsy are the two major intracranial indications, and an increasing number of studies have reported its efficacy and safety. Among brain tumors, primary brain tumor, predominantly glioblastoma, and brain metastasis are the most frequently reported conditions. Interestingly, LITT’s efficacy for radiation necrosis after radiosurgical treatment for brain tumor has also been reported. LITT can be used for both newly diagnosed or recurrent tumor, and in combination with radiosurgery or craniotomy. Perhaps the most common application is deep-seated lesions not-easily accessible by traditional surgical techniques. With respect to lesion size, tumors less than 3 cm are most effectively treated. In summary, this chapter focuses on the neuro-oncological and epilepsy applications of robotic-assisted LITT and summarizes the up-to-date knowledge of this treatment.
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Hori, Y.S., González Martínez, J.A., Barnett, G.H. (2022). Robotics in Laser Ablation Procedures. In: González Martínez, J.A., Cardinale, F. (eds) Robotics in Neurosurgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08380-8_8
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