New surgical technique uses laser energy to destroy brain tumors
Novel approach is minimally invasive and precise
04:20 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Wendy Rigby / KENS 5
Perez has had one surgery to remove the tumor, but now the cancer has returned. This time, Dr. John Floyd, a U.T. Health Science Center neurosurgeon, is trying something different.
In an operating room at St. Luke’s Baptist Hospital, the doctor secured an anchor in the outside of the skull. Then, using what’s called neuro-navigation for precision, he slid a catheter several inches inside the head. That catheter houses a laser that can zap the cells growing out of control and threatening Perez’ life.
Visualase will be holding a seminar for physicians interested in the Visualase technology. Neurosurgeons that have used Visualase will present case studies and will be available for QnA. Please RSVP if you like to attend. There is limited capacity for this event.
Dec 2, 2005 … A patient guide. by John W. Henson, M.D., MGH Brain Tumor Center … The exact name and grade of the tumor determine treatment options, … brain.mgh.harvard.edu/patientguide.htm – Cached – Similar
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Jul 29, 2007 … For a list of major brain tumor treatment centers, some of which offer ….. Isn’t the Message” can be found at Steve Dunn’s cancer guide. …
www.virtualtrial.com/faq/Patient_Guide%203.0.pdf
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40 THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BRAIN TUMORS. National Brain Tumor Society | 800 934 2873 | www.braintumor.org. There are some cases where chemotherapy treatment…
www.braintumor.org/upload/contents/330/GuideFINAL2007.pdf – Similar
Former Graduate Student and Current Assistant Professor in the Department of Imaging Physics at UTMDACC, Dr. R. Jason Stafford is highlighted in The Messenger. (Reprinted with permissions from The Messenger, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center)
Watching Tumors Die
Thursday, April 2, 2009
By Sarah Petrie
Above, from left: Kamran Ahrar, M.D., and R. Jason Stafford, Ph.D., discuss an upcoming spinal surgery that will use the Visualase technology. They’ll be able to watch the tumor fully die in near real time during the procedure. Depending on where the tumor is located, the patient may or may not be awake during the procedure.
History books show that surgeons began removing cancerous tumors as early as the second century. Zoom ahead to 2009, take away the scalpels, scars and side effects that typically accompany surgery, and trade them for a tiny laser beam that zaps cancer dead on the spot. It sounds like science fiction, but our researchers and clinicians are among the first in the nation to investigate a new procedure that does just this … and more.
Paris hospital hosts pioneering laser brain surgery
Saturday 30 August 2008 – A French team of neurosurgeons claims top have successfully tested a combination of new techniques, including fibre-optic lasers, in treating brain cancer through ultra-keyhole surgery.
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