Holy Cross Hospital is First in the Washington, D.C., Metro Area to Offer New Laser Treatment for Adult Epilepsy
August 12, 2020Tags: 2020
(Silver Spring, Md.) — Holy Cross Health today announces that it is the first hospital in the Washington, D.C., area to offer thermal laser ablation to treat adults with epilepsy, a neurological condition that causes recurring seizures. The laser interstitial thermal therapy system, called Visualase™, is an MRI-guided neurosurgical procedure that allows the surgeon to monitor tissue ablation in near real-time.
Patients with medication-resistant epilepsy or those whose seizures originate from an abnormal area in one section of the brain are good candidates for this surgery. The procedure is minimally invasive, takes less than 90 minutes to perform and patients are typically discharged the day after surgery.
"Brain surgery to treat epilepsy is usually an hours-long, open operation with an extensive scalp incision and removal of part of the skull to reach the abnormal tissue," says Zachary Levine, MD, medical director, Neurosurgery and Neuroscience. "With the new laser treatment, a 3-millimeter incision is made in the skull and a tiny fiber optic thread directs laser energy to the precise part of the brain responsible for the patient’s seizures."
The laser energy heats the tissue and destroys it, a technique called ablation. Once the problem area is ablated, the thread is removed. The entire procedure is viewed in real-time on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to ensure the laser is safely targeted to the precise point of the diseased tissue.
"Holy Cross Health offers one of the region's most sophisticated diagnostic and treatment services for people with epilepsy and other seizure disorders," says Gregory Mathews, MD, medical director, Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Holy Cross Hospital. "Our team of experts is dedicated to delivering the right diagnosis and the right treatment for each patient."
The Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Holy Cross Hospital is accredited as a Level 3 Epilepsy Center by the National Association of Epilepsy Center. Level 3 Epilepsy Centers have the professional expertise and facilities to provide high-quality medical evaluation and treatment for patients with complex epilepsy.
The Epilepsy Center is part of Holy Cross Health’s comprehensive neuroscience program, which brings together neurosurgeons, neurologists including epileptologists, neuroradiologists and others to deliver innovative treatments for patients with complex brain and spine conditions.
About Holy Cross Health
Holy Cross Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit, people-centered health system that serves the two most populous counties in Maryland, Montgomery and Prince George's counties, with a commitment to being the most trusted provider of health care services in the area. Founded in 1963 by the Sisters of the Holy Cross, Holy Cross Health is a member of Trinity Health of Livonia, Michigan, one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation. Holy Cross Hospital, in Silver Spring, is one of the largest hospitals in Maryland, and Holy Cross Germantown Hospital is the first hospital in the nation on a community college campus, enhanced by an educational partnership. The Holy Cross Health Network operates primary care practices and affordable health centers, and offers a wide range of innovative, community-based health and wellness programs. Specialty care, home care and hospice services round out Holy Cross Health's high-quality and coordinated continuum of care that aims to improve health and move life ahead for individuals and populations in the communities served. Learn more at HolyCrossHealth.org.