Interstitial Thermotherapy (ITT) Using Nd:YAG Laser as a New Option for the Treatment of Neuroma

• Published in: Medical laser application 2001, Vol.16 (2), p.129-134
• Main Authors: Algermissen, Bernd, Philipp, Carsten M., Müller, Ute, Urban, Peter, Berlien, H.-Peter
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: laser; LITT; Nd:YAG; Neuroma
• ISSN: 1615-1615; 1878-3228
• DOI: 10.1078/1615-1615-00019

Interstitial Laser Induced Thermotherapy (LITT) using Nd:YAG-laser proved to be an alternative or additive method for the treatment of nodular tumors and metastasis which could not be treated with conventional surgical resection or only with high risk for the patient. Because of the high recurrence rate of painful neuroma after surgical removal, which occasionally develop after surgical intervention or after traumatic injury of nerves often are a therapeutically challenge. Therefore, there is a demand to think of new strategies and to explore methods for the treatment of neuroma. One patient with clinical findings of a neuroma was only treated with LITT whereas two other patients with histological confirmed neuroma received interstitial laserthrapy after all attempts to remove the neuroma by common surgical methods were in vain. All patients were irradiated using Nd:YAG-LITT. After an observation period of 4 to 7 years respectively no recurrence of the neuroma occurred and the patients are free of any clinical symptoms. The three cases suggest that LITT using Nd:YAG-laser could be an alternative method to common surgical methods. LITT is minimal invasive, easily to perform and clearly reduced the spectrum of side effects known from the common surgical techniques. Nevertheless, further studies are necessary to confirm our findings and to evaluate laser parameters for optimised LITT of neuroma.