About Us Portfolio Press Careers Sitemap Advertise Contact Us Make this your Homepage

Custom Search

Register

Sign In

Sign In Using Facebook

Home » Cancer News

World First: Lasers Used in Keyhole Surgery to Treat Brain Tumor

by Sreeraman on August 30, 2008 at 12:33 PM Cancer News

In a ground-breaking advance, French neurosurgeons on Friday said they had successfully treated brain tumours through ultra-keyhole surgery, using a tiny fibre-optic laser to destroy cancerous cells.

World First: Lasers Used in Keyhole Surgery to Treat Brain Tumor

Related Links

Alexandre Carpentier of the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris said the exploit was "a world-first" in its use of multiple advanced techniques and of local anaesthesia rather than general sedation.

So far, eight volunteers have been treated in the pilot programme, launched December 2006, Carpentier told AFP.

"They were suffering from metastasing brain tumours caused by various cancers, mainly lung and breast cancer that failed to respond to conventional treatment and were otherwise inoperable," he said.

Doctors had given the volunteers only three months left to live, on average.

Under the pioneering technique, a minute hole three millimetres (0.12 of an inch) wide was drilled into the skull, allowing the surgeon to introduce a water-cooled fibre-optic laser into the brain.

The device was gently guided towards the tumour area with the help of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner.

Every three seconds, a computer workstation calculated the temperature at the area being burned by the laser to ensure that there was no dangerous overheating and to confirm that only tumorous cells were being destroyed.

The patient received only a local anaesthetic, remaining conscious in order to be able to speak to the medical team to help verify that cerebral functions were not being harmed.

However, "the patients feels nothing during the operation and generally can leave hospital 14 hours later, the evening or the morning after the operation," the surgeon said.

Page 1

Page 1 | 2

Next

Heart Transplant Teen Arrested for Murder in US

Milk Could Play Vital Role in Preventing Cancer

More News on: Brain Tumor, Parkinsons Disease, Brain, Tumor Markers For Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis, Brain Facts, Ataxia, Parkinsons Disease Surgical Treatment, Brain Tumors

Comment & Contribute

Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. Comments are normally moderated and are reviewed after they are posted.
* Your comment can be maximum of 2500 characters
	Notify me when reply is posted I agree to the terms and conditions
Your comments are automatically posted once they are submitted. All comments are however constantly reviewed for spam and irrelevant material (such as product or personal advertisements, email addresses, telephone numbers and website address). Such insertions do not conform to our policy and 'Terms of Use' and are either deleted or edited and republished. Please keep your comments brief and relevant.This section may also have questions seeking help. If you have the information you are welcome to respond, but please ensure that the information so provided is genuine and not misleading.

guest

09/05/2008

my brother has a mlignant tumor .please contact me by mail

Reply | Forward

Medwonders Health Network

Support Groups Members Discussions

Total Members - 54730
Support Groups - 445

Health News Index

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Latest News Most Popular Most Commented

Risk Factors That Contribute to the Death of Preterm Infants Identified

Soon, Bionic Eye Implant for Human Trials

Sexual Favors for Taxi Fares Common in Australia Says Indian-origin Cabbie

Effective Weight Loss With Anti-obesity Drugs and a Modified Lifestyle: Study

Higher Female Fertility Leaves Men Dumbstruck?

News Archive
Date :
Category :
Keyword :

Quiz on Brain
Feeling bad, sad, silly or glad? Find out what is responsible by taking part in our brain quiz.

News Quick Links

	News Central			Health Watch
	Latest Health News			Health In Focus
	News Category (500+)			Breaking Health News
	Popular News			Celebrating Life
	Health News and Press Release			Medindia - Exclusive
	News Photo Gallery			India Special
	News Video Gallery			Lifestyle and Wellness
	News From Other Resources

Brain

Complete Medindia Resources

News Categories:


»	Acid Attack Survivor Katie Piper's Eyesight Restored After Stem Cell Surgery

»	I Will Draw Inspiration from Armstrong in Battling Illness: Yuvi

»	Eating Disorder Made Me Manipulative: Demi Lovato

»	Charlize Theron Wants to Avoid Botox

»	Despite Cancer, Robin Gibb Vows to Perform for Charity
More Celebrity News

Cancer Related News
»	Fasting Weakens Cancer in Mice	»	Key to Personalized Cancer Therapy - Metabolic Profiles
»	Breast Cancer Death Risk Higher Among Older Patients	»	Role of Zinc in Breast Cancer Treatment
»	New Screening Method for Prostate Cancer may be More Effective	»	Urine Test to Predict Prostate Cancer
»	Molecular Switch That Allows Melanoma to Resist Therapy Identified	»	Researchers Identify Gene That Triggers Pancreatic Cancer Growth

Read More >>

Accident and Trauma Care Support Group	Acupuncture Support Group	Albinism / Hypopigmentation / Albinos Support Group
Alcohol abuse / Alcohol dependence / Alcoholism Support Group	Aromatherapy Support Group	Avian Influenza / Bird Flu Support Group
Ayurveda Support Group	Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Support Group	Birth Defects - Metabolic Defects Support Group

World First: Lasers Used in Keyhole Surgery to Treat Brain Tumor

Medwonders Health Network

Cancer Related News

Consumers

Medical Professionals

Medical Students

Directories