The neurosurgical team at IMED Elche hospital performed the first brain tumor resection using fluorescence-guided surgery in the province of Alicante. The application of this technique represents a significant progress in the field of oncological neuro-surgery, since it allows to remove tumors with high accuracy.
For the application of this technique, the patient has to ingest a few hours before the operation a special medication. This medication is taken up by tumor cells and make them fluorescent.
In this way the operation begins by the convencionele technology and in the area where the tumor is located polarized light is used which make only the malignant cells visible in bright red. The surgeon can clearly distinguish the healthy areas and completely remove the tumor and minimize damage to the brains and avoid post-operative complications. For this operation it is necessary to use a surgical microscope, suitable for this type of brain surgery. This microscope has a high precision lens and is equipped with the special light that is needed to view the fluorescent tumor cells in these intervencies.
As noted by the medical team, "the greatest advantage of this technique is that it clearly identifies the tumor, and can be distinguished from the healthy zone". Thus, "from the clinical point of view, there are obtained more complete deletions compared to other techniques."
The first beneficiary in our province of this progress in the field of neurosurgery is a woman of 58 years from Elche who had language problems for less than one month. After surgery, the patient recovers quickly and well "favored by the advantages of using fluorescence", according to the leaders of the team that has intervened.
Dr. V.Fernandez also noted that "the operation was successful" and wanted to point out that "by the use of this technique, the complete resection of the tumor is achived because the fluorescence allowed us to recognize certain parts which by conventional techniques used till now we did not recognize. "
IMED HOSPITALES
