Laser therapy to treat epilepsy

FIBRE optic laser therapy, which could transform the lives of people with hard-to-treat epilepsy, is being rolled out across the NHS.

The treatment uses lasers to target the part of the brain that causes seizures and avoids the need for invasive surgery. It will benefit up to 150 patients every year, with the first surgeries set to take place early in 2023, NHS England said.

NHS medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: “This pioneering laser beam treatment for epilepsy patients is life-changing and will offer hope to up to 150 people every year who have not had success in preventing seizures with traditional drugs.

“By replacing invasive neurosurgery with a cutting-edge laser therapy, allowing clinicians to better target the parts of the brain causing the epilepsy, we not only dramatically reduce risks to these patients, but drastically reduce their recovery time both in and out of hospital.”

The therapy uses a 1.5mm-wide probe with the laser at its tip, which is inserted into the skull.