Patients diagnosed with brain tumors once considered unreachable now have an accessible treatment option at Loma Linda University Health. The medical center is currently the only facility in the Inland Empire offering laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT), a minimally invasive procedure that allows neurosurgeons to treat tumors deep within the brain.
Tumors located in areas such as the thalamus or basal ganglia have traditionally left patients with limited treatment options due to the risks associated with open brain surgery. Now, using advanced robotics, real-time MRI guidance, and targeted laser energy, physicians can guide the placement of a catheter with sub-millimeter precision, allowing them to safely reach and ablate tumors deep within the brain.
According to Zachary Gersey, M.D., M.S., neurosurgeon and LITT specialist at LLUH, the technology is changing how physicians approach brain tumors.
“The data shows that LITT is safe, improves quality of life, and may improve survival or progression-free survival for certain tumors,” Gersey said.
“Because the approach requires only a small incision, recovery is typically fast, with many patients returning home the same day or the day after surgery.”
Expanding Treatment Options for Complex Tumors
The term “inoperable” has traditionally referred to tumors located in areas where open surgery could cause severe neurological damage. LITT offers a safer surgical option when traditional procedures pose too great a risk.
The procedure may be considered when:
- The tumor is located in a high-risk or deep-brain area
- Only part of the tumor can be safely removed
- The tumor has recurred in a difficult-to-reach location
- A patient’s overall health may not tolerate major surgery
- Radiation necrosis — tissue damage caused by previous radiation treatment — is suspected
In some cases, surgeons can perform both a biopsy and ablation during the same procedure, eliminating the need for multiple operations.
A Patient’s Life-saving Experience with LITT
For patient Dale Strasshofer, who developed radiation necrosis, open brain surgery was considered too dangerous. Instead, he underwent a robot-assisted stereotactic needle biopsy combined with LITT.
“The procedure allowed for a biopsy, a definitive diagnosis, and ablation of the lesion,” Strasshofer said. “I didn’t suffer any side effects, and I had a short, uneventful recovery.”
Challenging the Idea of “Inoperable” Brain Tumors
“Because of tools like LITT, the term ‘inoperable brain tumor’ shouldn’t be used anymore. There is almost always something we can do surgically,” Gersey said.
To learn more about Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy at Loma Linda University Health, visit our website here.
