Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39921741›Full record

ArticleActa neurochirurgica2025

MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy in epilepsy: indications, technique and outcome in an adult population. A single-center data analysis.

Nazaret Infante, Gerardo Conesa, Carmen Pérez-Enríquez, Jaume Capellades, Luísa Panadés de Oliveira, Laura Vilella, Alessandro Principe, Maria Del Mar Crespi-Vallespir, Mireia Gallardo-Mir, Rodrigo Rocamora

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Review
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Nazaret InfanteDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3410-2027
Gerardo ConesaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, 08003, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-4162-1845
Carmen Pérez-EnríquezEpilepsy Monitoring Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-2109-0426
Jaume CapelladesNeuroradiology Unit, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-1417-4496
Luísa Panadés de OliveiraEpilepsy Monitoring Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-9736-764X
Laura VilellaEpilepsy Monitoring Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-3694-0892
Alessandro PrincipeEpilepsy Monitoring Unit, Department of Neurology, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-7345-4300
Maria Del Mar Crespi-VallespirStereoDive Medical SL, Barcelona, Spain.
Mireia Gallardo-MirStereoDive Medical SL, Barcelona, Spain.
Rodrigo RocamoraDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hospital del Mar, Barcelona, 08003, Spain. rrocamora@psmar.cat.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMagnetic Resonance Imaging guided Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (MRIgLITT) is a promising treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) and an alternative to open surgery. However, the relationship between clinical and radiological factors and postoperative outcomes is unclear. This study explores the indications, technical challenges, and outcomes of MRIgLITT in terms of seizure control and cognitive changes across various pathologies.

methodsA retrospective single-center analysis included 32 MRIgLITT procedures performed between January 2019 and December 2023. Procedures used the Visualase

resultsThe 32 procedures involved 28 patients with MRI-diagnosed pathologies: 14 hippocampal sclerosis (HS), 7 hypothalamic hamartoma (HH), 3 focal cortical dysplasia (FCD), 2 periventricular heterotopia (PVH), 1 tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and 1 low-grade glioma. Some cases required multiple approaches. Postoperative follow-up averaged 33 months. Among HS patients, 71.42% achieved Engel I, and 21.43% Engel II. In HH, 85.7% initially became gelastic seizure-free, with complete freedom after additional treatment. Engel I outcomes were 28.6%, while 57.2% showed significant improvement (Engel I + II). FCD patients had a 66.6% Engel I success rate. One PVH patient became seizure-free, while the TSC patient was Engel III at last follow-up. RCI analysis showed that 71.44% of patients experienced cognitive stability (RCI > -1.64) or improvement (RCI > 1.64) at one-year post-procedure.

conclusionsMRIgLITT is a safe, minimally invasive alternative for epilepsy surgery, offering quicker recovery and showing better performance preserving cognitive function. It is particularly effective for deep or complex epileptic foci and patients who might refuse open surgery.

Indexed as

Drug Resistant EpilepsyLaser TherapyMagnetic Resonance ImagingSurgery, Computer-AssistedAdolescentAdultFemaleHamartomaHumansHypothalamic DiseasesMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultCognitionDrug-resistant epilepsyLaser ablationMinimally invasive surgeryMRgLITT

Identifiers

PMID39921741
PMCPMC11807016

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.