Boston Children's Hospital is one of a handful of centers offering a new, minimally invasive laser therapy to remove tumors or diseased brain tissue that is too deep inside the brain to safely access with usual neurosurgical methods.
Light energy from a laser is used to destroy the abnormal tissue with precision accuracy, guided by advanced MR imaging. This procedure is an excellent option for children with deep brain tumors or seizures caused by abnormalities deep within the brain, who have not been helped by medication and for whom surgery would normally be considered unsafe.
The entire process takes about four hours, and most children can go home the next day.
For more information or to schedule an evaluation, contact Joseph Madsen, MD, in the Department of Neurosurgery (Joseph.Madsen@childrens.harvard.edu or 617-355-6008).