UAMS is one of only three hospitals in the world to offer a revolutionary new light technology during brain surgery. It’s a handheld blue light from Spectra that’s mounted to a surgical handpiece used to remove brain tumors.
Dr. Analiz Rodriguez, Director of Neurosurgical Oncology at UAMS says, “You are actually taking out the tumor and the light is right on the instrument that you’re taking out the tumor.”
Dr. Rodriguez used this technology on one of her patients, Paula Kittle, who was recently diagnosed with glioblastoma.
Paula Kittle spoke about the use of the light on her for the first time. “It is cancer. It’s aggressive, and so they’ve been treating it aggressively ever since it was discovered. I think she first asked me if it would be ok (to use the light). I said, sure! Technology is improving all the time. That sounds like a good thing!”
Kittle’s tumor was deep in the brain, near motor areas, calling for the need for a unique game plan to safely remove it without causing harm.
Dr. Rodriguez says, “We actually use this technology here at UAMS where we actually have the tumor glow in the dark. and we go under blue light or night vision, and we can see the tumor glow in the dark. If we remove tumor in the wrong place, then we could have Ms. Kittle wake up and she would not be able to move her leg.”
As a supplement to the surgical microscope’s blue light, Dr. Rodriguez was able to use the new Spectra light and remove the tumor more precisely.
She continued, “When the light is that close, then you get the best discrimination, so you can look at that border and be sure… this is a clean border. I got all the tumor out that I needed to.” Dr. Rodriguez adds, “Now I can see even really tiny little spots of tumor that might be hiding. I can see that better, and what that means for people who have brain tumors is that potentially, over time, that may help people live longer.”
Ms. Kittle’s surgery was a success, as Dr. Rodriguez was able to remove about 90% of the tumor with no loss of motor function.
Dr. Rodrigues says, “Thankfully, Ms. Kittle is able to walk. Praise God for that, and now she’s moving on to other parts of her treatment.”
Dr. Rodriguez calls this new technology…a game-changer, as her team works to give Arkansans the best care possible without having the leave the state.