• LASER INTERSTITIAL THERMAL THERAPY (LITT)
LITT (laser interstitial thermal therapy) is a minimally invasive technology that uses a laser to heat and remove
tissue, delivered through a small probe inserted into the brain. This avoids the need for a large incision and
open surgery (craniotomy). It is a highly effective alternative for select epilepsy and tumor patients.
• MAGNETOENCEPHALOGRAPHY (MEG)
This non-invasive neuro-imaging technique helps identify seizure activity or evoked sensory activity, which can
be overlaid onto MRI images of the brain to assist with pre-surgical planning for patients with epilepsy or brain
tumors. Over the last 5 years, UAB has used MEG technology in 447 cases.
• ROBOTIC STEREOTACTIC ASSISTANCE (ROSA)
Determining the precise location of the area within the brain that produces abnormal electrical activity and
causes seizures is key to proper intervention. UAB’s ROSA system allows faculty to efficiently and precisely
place SEEG electrodes in a more minimally invasive manner. It has been used for approximately 80 SEEG cases
and about 100 cases in total.
SELECT PUBLICATIONS
• Rotman LE, Kicielinski, Broadwater DR, Davis MC, Vaughan
TB, Woodworth BA, Riley KO. Predictors of Nasoseptal
Flap Use After Endoscopic Transsphenoidal Pituitary Mass
Resection. World Neurosurg, 2018 Dec 30.
• Romeo A, Roach ATI, Toth E, Chaitanya G, Ilyas A, Riley KO,
Pati S. Early ictal recruitment of midline thalmus in mesial
temporal lobe epilepsy. Ann Clin Trans Neurol. 2019; 6(8):
1552-1558.
• Pizzaro D, Ilyas A, Chaitanya G, Toth E, Irannejad A, Romeo
A, Riley KO, Iasemidis L, Pati S. Spectral organization of
focal seizures within the thalamotemporal network. Ann
Clin Transl Neurol. 2019 Sep; 6(9):1836-1848
• Bentley JN, Irwin ZT, Roach M, Vaden RJ, Gonzalez CL,
Khan A, El-Sayed G, Knight RT, Guthrie BL, Walker HC.
Subcortical intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS)
increases theta power in prefrontal cortex. Frontiers in
Neuroscience.
• Bentley JN, Guan Z, Cummings K, Chou K, Patil PG.
Influence of intracranial air on electrode position and
clinical outcomes following deep brain stimulation
for Parkinson’s disease. Stereotactic and Functional
Neurosurgery 95(1):6-12, 2017.
• Bentley JN, Khalsa SS, Kobylarek M, Schroeder KE, Chen
K, Tat D, Chestek CA, Patil PG. A simple, inexpensive
method for subcortical stereotactic targeting in non-human
primates. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 305:89-97,
2018.
The UAB epilepsy program is honored to have access to state-of-the-art technology that provides the highest
quality of clinical care and valued opportunities for patients seeking clinical trials.
‘The ROSA robot allows us to very
safely, efficiently and precisely place
the SEEG electrodes. With the robot,
we can efficiently move from one
electrode trajectory to the next. The
robotic precision tracks multiple
trajectories, ensuring that each
electrode is placed in the safest,
most optimal position.’
— Kristen Riley, MD
UAB’s ROSA system allows faculty to efficiently and precisely
place SEEG electrodes in a more minimally invasive manner and
has been used in approximately 100 cases thus far.
uabmedicine.org
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