title: Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Treatment of Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.
abstract: Surgery is the most effective treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. Long-term studies demonstrate that about 60% to 80% of patients become seizure-free after anterior temporal lobectomy and a majority of patients (about 95%) report significant seizure reduction after surgery. In the last few years, there has been significant advances in minimally invasive surgical techniques to treat drug-resistant epilepsy. These minimally invasive procedures have significant advantages over open surgery in that they produce less immediate discomfort and disability, while allowing for greater preservation of functional tissue. Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LiTT) is an example of such a procedure. Recent advances in imaging, surgical navigation, and real-time thermal monitoring have made LiTT safer and easier to implement, offering an effective and powerful neurosurgical tool for drug-resistant epilepsy. This article will review the technical considerations, uses, and potential future directions for LiTT in drug-resistant epilepsy.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Meyer 2-147, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA. jkang50@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Joon Y
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0071-6717
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 900 Walnut Street Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Sperling
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects / Q000601:surgery; D000069279:Drug Resistant Epilepsy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D038361:Neuronavigation; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Laser interstitial thermal therapy; drug-resistant epilepsy; epilepsy; mesial temporal sclerosis; temporal lobe epilepsy; temporal lobectomy.