Improving Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) by Overcoming Current Limitations of Probe Mobility

SLU ID 19-005 | A Steerable Guide for Neurosurgical Applications

Background

The risk of developing some form of brain cancer is 1 in 143 in men and 1 in 185 in women. Of those malignant tumors, 80% will be gliomas. Currently, deep seated gliomas and brain lesions are treated using straight trajectory laser ablations through a procedure called Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT). Traditionally with non-steerable instruments, neurosurgeons plan out their straight trajectories from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and use surgical navigation software to determine the most efficient way to eliminate the tumor. Once navigated through the preset trajectory, a fiber optic probe emits thermal energy by a photo-thermal process to ablate the tumor. One of the biggest problems with the current treatment is limited mobility of the probe. Given that heat radiates out from the probe in a spherical or cylindrical shape, MRI images show that portions of the complex and irregularly shaped tumors are often left completely unaffected by the ablation. Surgeons must decide whether or not to repeat the ablation along a new path to access the unaffected portions of the tumor. This, however, increases the time of the operation, risk of infection and other complications, and also puts healthy brain tissue at risk of being inadvertently ablated.

Overview

Researchers at Saint Louis University have developed a delivery system that enables flexible surgical instruments to be steered or guided to an expanded range of desired locations.

Benefits

The potential benefits of this technology include:

• increasing the locations of the brain that can be accessed along a given path
• minimizing the need to repeat ablations along new paths
• minimizing the time required to perform Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy
• minimizing the risk of infection
• minimizing the heat profiles generated by tumor ablation
• minimizing the risk of damaging healthy brain tissue

Applications

Potential applications of this technology include:

• Neurosurgical procedures
• Clinical areas requiring dexterity and steerability in minimally invasive surgery

Opportunity

Saint Louis University is seeking partners to further develop and commercialize this technology.