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) consultants

Mr Christopher Chandler

Mr Christopher Chandler

Neurosurgery

Mr Francesco Vergani

Mr Francesco Vergani

Neurosurgery

Professor Keyoumars Ashkan

Professor Keyoumars Ashkan

Neurosurgery

Mr Ranjeev Bhangoo

Mr Ranjeev Bhangoo

Neurosurgery

Our Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) locations

The Harley Street Clinic

The Harley Street Clinic

35 Weymouth Street W1G 8BJ London
The Princess Grace Hospital

The Princess Grace Hospital

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

The Lister Hospital

Chelsea Bridge Road, SW1W 8RH London
The Shard Outpatients

The Shard Outpatients

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

London Bridge Hospital

27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
Chelsea Outpatients

Chelsea Outpatients

280 King's Road SW3 5AW London

Patient stories

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