Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) is a minimally invasive procedure to treat brain tumors and lesions. It uses a small laser to heat and destroy the problem areas. LITT offers patients a faster recovery time and less pain than traditional surgery.

LITT is a common treatment option at UMMC for brain cancer, epilepsy, radiation necrosis and other brain-related conditions. 

How LITT Works

LITT uses heat to destroy tumors, dead tissue or brain lesions. It’s also called laser ablation surgery, stereotactic laser ablation, thermal ablation or MRI-guided laser ablation.

With LITT, the surgeon makes a small hole in the skull to access the brain. The surgeon guides a probe toward the problem area using MRI images. Once the target spot is found, a laser heats the tip of the probe to destroy the tumor or tissue. The heat is monitored to prevent damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. When complete, the surgeon removes the probe and closes the incision with a few stitches.

The procedure takes several hours. Patients often stay in the hospital for one to two days following surgery.

Benefits of LITT

LITT can be easier on the patient than traditional surgery:

• There’s less pain during recovery and a smaller incision than with a craniotomy.
• Patients leave the hospital and return to normal activities faster.
• People have fewer cognitive problems following surgery.

Since LITT is a precise procedure, it limits damage to healthy tissue surrounding the target area. It also allows surgeons to access hard-to-reach areas of the brain.

When to Use LITT Treatment

Brain Tumor Treatment

LITT is an option to treat many types of brain tumors including those due to glioblastoma or meningioma, tumors that have returned after surgery or radiation therapy, are deep in the brain or near a sensitive part of the brain. It’s also used to treat tumors that have spread from other parts of the body.

Sometimes LITT is used to shrink a tumor, which is later removed with a craniotomy. When needed, a biopsy is done at the same time as LITT.

Epilepsy

In some cases, patients with epilepsy can get LITT to remove brain lesions that cause seizures.

When an abnormal growth or malformation causes seizures, LITT can remove the problem area and stop or reduce the seizures.

Radiation Necrosis

LITT is also used to treat radiation necrosis, inflamed brain tissue that can occur months or years after radiation treatment. LITT removes the damaged tissue.