Therapies and procedures
MRI-guided laser ablation
Treating epileptic foci and brain tumors
MRI-guided laser ablation coagulates and necrotizes unwanted tissue in the brain. The Visualase™ MRI-guided laser ablation system consists of a small laser catheter that delivers light energy to the target area. As that light is delivered, the temperature in the target area begins to rise and is observed under real-time MRI imaging — allowing the surgeon precise control of the ablation. After the procedure, the small incision can usually be closed with a single suture,1,2 and in many cases the patient can return home the next day.3–8
Epileptic foci ablation
Your medically-refractory focal epilepsy patients may benefit from Visualase™ MRI-guided laser ablation. FDA-cleared to ablate epileptic foci, this minimally invasive surgical option may ultimately help patients manage their seizures when medication alone may not work.
Brain tumor ablation
Your primary and metastatic brain tumor patients may benefit from Visualase™ MRI-guided laser ablation. FDA-cleared to ablate tumors in the brain, this minimally invasive surgical option may ultimately help patients to a speedier recovery for the continuation of their treatment.
Learn more about Visualase™ MRI‑guided laser ablation
Visualase™ MRI-guided laser ablation has been used by neurosurgeons since 2007 for precise and controlled necrotization and coagulation of soft tissue in the brain. Learn more about Visualase™ technology, equipment, and workflow.
Reimbursement guide
Find reimbursement and coding information for Visualase™ MRI-guided laser ablation.
Medical education opportunities
Access on-demand procedural videos, webinars, and more at Medtronic Academy.
- Jethwa PR, Lee JH, Assina R, Keller IA, Danish SF. Treatment of a supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor using magnetic resonance-guided laser-induced thermal therapy. J Neurosurg Pediatr. 2011;8(5):468–475. doi:10.3171/2011.8.PEDS11148.
- Torres-Reveron J, Tomasiewicz HC, Shetty A, Amankulor NM, Chiang VL. Stereotactic laser induced thermotherapy (LITT): a novel treatment for brain lesions regrowing after radiosurgery. J Neurooncol. 2013;113(3):495–503. doi:10.1007/s11060-013-1142-2.
- Jethwa PR, Barrese JC, Gowda A, Shetty A, Danish SF. Magnetic resonance thermometry-guided laser-induced thermal therapy for intracranial neoplasms: initial experience. Neurosurgery. 2012;71(1 suppl operative):133–145. doi:10.1227/NEU.0b013e31826101d4.
- Kang JY, Wu C, Tracy J, et al. Laser interstitial thermal therapy for medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2016;57(2):325–334. doi:10.1111/ epi.13284.
- Lewis EC, Weil AG, Duchowny M, Bhatia S, Ragheb J, Miller I. MR-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy for pediatric drug-resistant lesional epilepsy. Epilepsia. 2015;56(10):1590–1598. doi:10.1111/epi.13106.
- Patel P, Patel NV, Danish SF. Intracranial MR-guided laser-induced thermal therapy: single-center experience with the Visualase thermal therapy system. J Neurosurg. 2016;125(4):853–860. doi:10.3171/2015.7.JNS15244.
- Wilfong AA, Curry DJ. Hypothalamic hamartomas: optimal approach to clinical evaluation and diagnosis. Epilepsia. 2013;54(suppl 9):109–114. doi:10.1111/epi.12454.
- Willie JT, Laxpati NG, Drane DL, et al. Real-time magnetic resonance-guided stereotactic laser amygdalohippocampotomy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Neurosurgery. 2014;74(6):569–585. doi:10.1227/NEU.0000000000000343.