Medtronic Expands MRI-Guided Laser Ablation System to Europe

Medtronic plc has announced the CE Mark and European launch of the Visualase system that provides advanced MRI-guided laser ablation technology and can be used in neurosurgery procedures. With the Visualase system, laser energy is delivered to the target area using an applicator. As light is delivered through the applicator, temperatures in the target area begin to rise, destroying the unwanted soft tissue. Because Visualase procedures are guided by MRI images, the procedure can provide precise and controlled ablation. Due to the minimally invasive nature of the procedure, patients typically go home the next day. The system will give neurosurgeons an additional minimally invasive option to precisely target and treat small areas of tissue.

The Visualase MRI-guided laser ablation system received USFDA clearance in the United States of America in July 2007 to necrotize or coagulate soft tissue. Medtronic is currently involved in a pivotal SLATE (stereotactic laser ablation for temporal lobe epilepsy) study in the United States of America to support an expanded FDA indication for the treatment of epilepsy in patients with drug-resistant mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), the most common form of partial or localization related epilepsy. The introduction of Visualase to European physicians ensures that more patients will have access to this beneficial technology. This latest milestone is a testament to the company’s commitment to expand therapeutic options for physicians and their patients.