MRI laser therapy for drug-resistant epilepsy shows wide seizure freedom rates

For people with drug-resistant epilepsy, a new review looks at a procedure called MRI-guided laser interstitial thermal therapy, or MRgLITT. This treatment uses a laser guided by brain scans to target the area causing seizures. The review combined findings from 16 earlier studies. It found that the rate of seizure freedom ranged widely, from about 19% to 76%. The review also reported safety signals. Some patients had visual field deficits, a loss of side vision, at rates between 2% and 8%. A small number had bleeding in the brain, from about 1% to 9%. The review honestly notes that all the evidence is of very low certainty. The included studies were only observational, not controlled trials, and many were rated as critically low quality. This means the findings are promising but not definitive. For patients and doctors considering this option, the results suggest potential benefit but also highlight the need for more rigorous research.