Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT)

MRI GUIDED LASER ABLATIONS

 

A minimally-invasive procedure to treat brain tumours

What is Laser interstitial thermal therapy?

LITT is a minimally-invasive surgical procedure. It's used to treat primary and secondary brain tumours that are difficult to treat using traditional surgical techniques.

Need to know

Your neurosurgeon will start by making a small cut in your scalp. They'll then gently insert a catheter (thin tube) through your brain and into the tumour.

Then, using a real-time MRI scanner as a guide, they'll direct a beam of thermal energy at the tumour to destroy it. Laser interstitial thermal therapy only takes a few minutes to perform.

Your consultant will explain your interstitial thermal therapy procedure to you, and answer any questions you might have.

After your laser interstitial thermal therapy procedure, you'll be transferred to our recovery ward, where you’ll be looked after by a specialist team. Your neurosurgeon will explain your recovery time to you and when you can expect to get back to your usual routine.

State-of-the-art intraoperative MRI for neurosurgery

As part of HCA Healthcare UK’s continued investment in the latest medical technology, The Wellington Hospital’s Neurosurgery Centre is now equipped with an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) scanner and fully integrated digital theatre.

The iMRI scanner allows surgeons to carry out an intraoperative MRI scan of their patient’s brain during their surgery. This gives the surgeon confidence that they have achieved their treatment goal. It also provides our patients with the best possible chance of tumours being removed fully without the need for further surgery.


Find out more about the iMRI

Our Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) locations

The Harley Street Clinic

The Harley Street Clinic

35 Weymouth Street London W1G 8BJ
The Princess Grace Hospital

The Princess Grace Hospital

42-52 Nottingham Place London W1U 5NY
The Lister Hospital

The Lister Hospital

Chelsea Bridge Road, London SW1W 8RH
The Shard Outpatients

The Shard Outpatients

The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street London SE1 9BS
London Bridge Hospital

London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street London SE1 2PR
Chelsea Outpatients - 280 King's Road

Chelsea Outpatients - 280 King's Road

280 King's Road London SW3 5AW
The Wellington Hospital

The Wellington Hospital

8A Wellington Place London NW8 9LE
Chiswick Outpatients

Chiswick Outpatients

Bond House 347-353 Chiswick High Road London W4 4HS
The Wilmslow Hospital

The Wilmslow Hospital

52-54 Alderley Road Wilmslow SK9 1NY

Patient stories

Hear from past patients about their experience

This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.