In a first for Europe, the Cliniques Saint-Luc have carried out a groundbreaking neurosurgical procedure, marking a new milestone in the management of refractory epilepsy.
Epilepsy is mainly caused by genetic or metabolic factors, or by damage to the brain (stroke, dementia, encephalitis, tumours, etc.). It is described as ‘refractory’ when it does not respond to drug treatments and curative surgery may be considered to remove the area of the brain responsible for the seizures or to implant a stimulation lead to regulate the brain’s electrical activity.
It is in this context that the Neurosurgery Department at Cliniques Saint-Luc has utilised a new technology enabling the treatment of the epileptic focus via laser thermoablation. This technique involves inserting a laser probe through a micro-incision in the skull to precisely target the area of the brain causing the seizures.
This surgical procedure was carried out using a unique combination of three cutting-edge technologies: a robot providing high-precision frameless guidance (Stealth Autoguide) attached to the patient’s head, a laser (LiTT, Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy) and an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system.
Thanks to the combination of these three devices, the duration of the operation was significantly reduced and the 30-year-old patient was able to return home the day after the procedure to continue his recovery.
A first in Europe!
