500th Participant Enrolled in Prospective Multicenter Registry Study of Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy for Epilepsy 

The 500th participant has been enrolled in the LAANTERN study (NCT02392078) of a robotic laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) platform (NeuroBlate System; Monteris Medical, Plymouth, MN) for treatment of epilepsy or brain tumors. 

In this real-world study, any person undergoing LITT may enroll. With the 500th person enrolled, the study now follows the largest cohort from whom prospective data on LITT are being collected. Over 20 centers are participating and multiple publications have shown the benefits of LITT. The safety profile for LITT is as seen in clinical trials. To date, more than 2,500 procedures have been performed with this system at more than 70 hospitals in the US and Canada.

The LITT platform being studied uses robotic MRI-guided surgery to specifically and precisely target brain tissue for ablation. The burr hold required is less than 10 mm, or the size of a typical pencil. Smaller burr holes and more specific targeting make destruction of nearby brain tissue, intracranial bleeding, and infection all less likely. The surgical procedure is typically shorter than resective surgery, and most people treated are discharged home the day of the procedure. 

“The LAANTERN trial is a unique and important effort to evaluate minimally invasive neurosurgery,” said Dr. Eric Leuthardt, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., and the study’s primary investigator. “This approach is a substantial shift from craniotomy-based open surgery, and we know doctors, health systems, and patients want more prospective data. The data collected will be particularly valuable in determining which patients are more likely to benefit from a minimally invasive approach and why.”

“The insights from this study are already informing future study designs, as well as providing a clinical foundation for future technology innovation,” said Martin J. Emerson, president and chief executive officer of Monteris Medical. “We are grateful to the medical professionals and patients who are helping to document and analyze their experiences.”