Epilepsy patients will soon be treated with a new laser beam therapy that will be a game-changer in the NHS.
Known as Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT), the treatment uses fiber optic lasers to target affected brain tissue and help reduce seizures.
Surgeons first drill a small hole in the skull to allow a 1.5mm wide probe tipped with a laser to be inserted into the brain.
This small laser is used to destroy the brain tissue that causes epilepsy from the inside by heating it.
Doctors use an MRI scanner to navigate the brain and avoid blood vessels and other critical structures.
The treatment involves drilling a small hole to allow a 1.5mm wide probe tipped with a fiber optic laser to be inserted into the skull.
The scanner also helps monitor the temperature of the surrounding tissue to make sure it does not overheat.
Patients can recover from laser treatment within 24 to 48 hours and with minimal risk of infection.
Previous surgeries offering the same type of treatment required a much more extensive operation that could take months to recover from.
In fact, the NHS said LITT patients can usually return to work and other activities within a week.
Up to 50 patients in England each year whose epilepsy cannot be controlled with standard anti-seizure drugs will be eligible for LITT, the health service said.
James Palmer, medical director of specialist services for NHS England and consultant neurosurgeon, said the LITT would make a monumental difference to these patients.
“This laser therapy is a game-changer for patients and will offer new hope on the NHS to those for whom standard medications are not effective in controlling their seizures,” he said.
“This world-leading technology will not only help replace invasive surgery for patients, whose recovery can have a huge impact for months, but will also allow doctors to better target the parts of the brain that cause epilepsy, reducing dramatically reduces risks and helps reduce recovery time for patients both in and out of the hospital.
The laser treatment will be offered at King’s College London and the Walton Center in Liverpool.
Laura Diable, 39, from Birkenhead, was one of the first epilepsy patients to receive LITT at The Walton Centre.
‘Since undergoing the procedure almost a year ago, I have not had a single seizure. “It’s made a big difference in my quality of life,” he said.
‘Before the seizures incapacitated me, they left black spots in my memory. Thanks to LITT I have been able to get on with my life and worry less about my epilepsy.
Around 600,000 people live with epilepsy in the UK, which is almost one in 100 people.
While most people can take medication to help stop or reduce seizures, about one-third of patients cannot control them with medication alone.
For many of these patients, neurosurgery to remove the part of the brain that causes epilepsy is the only option.
Alison Fuller, Director of Health Influence and Improvement at Action against epilepsywelcomed the NHS announcement.
“This new therapy is an exciting ray of hope for many people with epilepsy whose lives are affected by the harsh reality of uncontrolled seizures,” he said.
‘Research shows that around three in 10 people with epilepsy experience seizures that do not respond well to standard treatment with epilepsy medication.
“This means that many continue to face significant challenges in other areas of life, from education to employment.”
There are around 600,000 people living with epilepsy in the UK – almost one in every 100 people.
Ley Sander, medical director of the Epilepsy Society and professor of neurology at University College London (UCL), said: “This non-invasive form of neurosurgery could be innovative for some people with brain injuries whose seizures do not respond to treatment options. conventional, including more invasive surgery for epilepsy.
‘It will make surgery safer and faster and will dramatically reduce individuals’ recovery period. We are especially proud that the sophisticated navigation system that guides this pioneering surgery was developed at the Epilepsy Society’s MRI unit.
‘This allows the surgical team to safely navigate to the exact area of the brain affected, avoiding critical blood vessels and structures. “This is a major advance in epilepsy surgery as a treatment option for lesional epilepsy.”
The NHS will roll out LITT to more patients in June.
