Laser interstitial thermal therapy for treating intracranial lesions and epilepsy: a health technology assessment and policy analysis

Leggett LE, Coward S, Weaver C, Sevick LK, Zhang D, Mackean G, Lorenzetti D, Clement F
Record ID 32016000764
English
Authors' recommendations: Two studies on epilepsy and four on intracranial lesions (two of which assessed the same patient population) were included in this systematic review of LITT. Three studies were case series, and two were non-randomized controlled studies. There was substantial heterogeneity among the included studies, in terms of LITT device used, type of LITT, comparator, patient population, and outcomes measured. Among the two studies on epilepsy, one found that the LITT group experienced significantly less decline in famous face recognition and common names compared to SLAH. The other study found no statistically significant difference between seizure rates for those who had MRgLITT compared to anterior mesial temporal resection. Findings showed that length of stay was significantly shorter as was surgical time for those in the MRgLITT group, and the need for pain control was significantly less. Despite not finding a statistically significant improvement in seizure rates for those in the LITT group, this result suggests that LITT is equally effective at reducing seizures, while resulting in less pain, and shorter length of stay for patients. Among the studies on intracranial lesions, one found that in the seven months after LITT, 71% of patients had tumor progression with a median progression free survival of 5.1 months. Another found mean time to progression was 16 months for low grade astrocytomas, 10 months for anaplastic gliomas and 4 months for glioblasomas. After LITT, this study found that mean survival times were 34 months for low grade astrocytomas, 30 months for anaplastic gliomas and 9 months for glioblasomas. The last study did not present survival or time to progression, but reported that the area of thermal damage ranged from 0.95-9.63 cm2, and the median length of hospitalization was 24 hours.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2016
URL for published report: https://obrieniph.ucalgary.ca/system/files/litt-jan-27th-2016-references-fixed.pdf
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Not Assigned
Country: Canada
MeSH Terms
  • Humans
  • Epilepsy
  • Hyperthermia, Induced
  • Policy Making
  • Technology Assessment, Biomedical
Contact
Organisation Name: HTA Unit, University of Calgary
Contact Address: 3rd Floor, TRW Building, University of Calgary, 3280 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4Z6
Contact Name: fclement@ucalgary.ca
Contact Email: fclement@ucalgary.ca
Copyright: University of Calgary
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.