Stereotaxic laser ablation of intracranial lesions.

A technique is described which combines computed tomography-based stereotaxic localization and CO2 laser ablation of certain intracranial lesions with a high degree of accuracy. In 24 patients operated on with this technique, total ablation of the lesion was achieved in 19 and incomplete ablation in the other five. Though not perfect, this method is a new approach to intracranial lesions that promises to be more efficacious as future developments occur.