Burning laser brain tumors

With the help of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the laser can destroy tumors deep in the brain in areas that doctors have not yet reached.

New method of killing cancer tumors. (Photo: Monteris) University of Washington anatomy specialists have performed a pioneering surgery in the field of brain cancer treatment. Surgery patients are suffering from a life-threatening growth of a large tumor in the brain. Because of previous surgeries and due to the too deep position of the tumor, the specialist team could not follow the usual surgery method. Because the previous surgeries could not remove the tumor from the brain, the doctors decided to burn the tumor, thanks to a special laser newly adjusted for this purpose.

Instead of opening the skull like a normal method, the team of doctors only drilled a small hole with the diameter of a pencil on the patient's head. Using an MRI machine to see through the brain, doctors carefully use small and flexible rods through the brain to reach the tumor. The laser beam is then projected from the tip of the rod at a 90 degree angle. Once adjusted to the right place, the doctors fired a laser that heated the size of the golf ball to 60 degrees Celsius until it was completely destroyed. While the tumor was 'cooked', the team continued to use the MRI device to ensure the surrounding cells were at low temperatures so as not to destroy the cancer cells.

Very positive results. The patient recovered very quickly. He left the hospital 3 days later instead of having to spend 1-2 weeks. Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where the surgery takes place, is the third hospital in the United States to operate a brain tumor using a laser. The US Food and Drug Administration has approved the application of laser surgery in neurosurgeons since May 2009. This is just the latest application of laser technology, according to Richard Ellenbogen, Dean of the University of Washington neurosurgeon. Dr. Ellenbogen used lasers to treat tumors in young children. 'The great thing about this technology is that you can bend light and use it to reach places that can't be done using other ways, ' said Ellenbogen.

The University of Washington's study not only saved people with dangerous brain tumors, but could also be used in cancer-free surgeries.