Table 3 Summary of studies reporting clinical application of LITT in neurosurgery

Schwarzmaier et al. [32]

16; 2 sets of patient (10 + 6)

Recurrent glioblastoma

Median survival time: 5.2 for the first set, and 11.2 in the second set

Learning curve deemed responsible explaining different survival

Carpentier et al. [33]

4

Recurrent glioblastoma

Mean overall survival: 10.5 months

Three complications: transient dysphasia, seizure, and cerebrospinal fluid leak

Jethwa et al. [3]

20

Multiple primary brain tumors

No data about survival was provided

Four complications: arterial injury, refractory brain edema, pituitary injury, and misplacement of the laser probe

Banerjee et al. [2]

Recurrent grade III/IV glioblastoma

Median overall survival after LITT: 20.9 months, improved compared to other treatment modalities

Rao et al. [46]

14

Recurrent brain metastases after radiosurgery and/or whole-brain radiation

Median progression-free survival: 37 weeks, and overall survival: 57%

Carpentier et al. [44, 45]

2 studies:

2008: 4

2011:7

Recurrent or resistant cerebral metastases

2008: Not reported

2011: follow-up up to 30 month, median survival was 19.8 months

Bastos et al. [60]

61

Recurrent brain metastasis and radiation necrosis

Incomplete ablation and recurrent tumoral lesions were associated with a higher risk of treatment failure and were the major predicting factors for local recurrence

Systemic therapy within 3 months after LITT was a protective factor against local recurrence

Kang et al. [64]

20

Epilepsy

LITT achieved a 53% rate of remission of disabling seizures

Waseem et al. [65]

7

Epilepsy

LITT achieved a 57% rate of remission of disabling seizures

Willie et al. [26]

13

Epilepsy

LITT achieved a 54% rate of remission of disabling seizures