Tampere University Hospital pioneers brain tumor surgery with innovative optical tissue recognition device

Tampere University Hospital has made a groundbreaking advancement in the treatment of brain tumor patients by using a new device that is expected to enhance the removal of brain tumors. Neuro-surgeon Joonas Haapasalo utilized this innovative Finnish technology during surgery, receiving near real-time information about the quality of the brain tissue he was excising. This technology is entirely new.

“We can now explore the potential of optical tissue recognition in neurosurgery. A broader and safer removal of tumors will particularly benefit our brain tumor patients,” Haapasalo mentioned in a statement from TAYS.

The device, developed by the startup company Marginum from Kuopio, focuses on optical tissue recognition technology and aims to enter international markets. This new method uses a fluorescent marker produced before the surgery, which accumulates in the brain tumor, making the tumor tissue glow and distinguishable from surrounding tissues.

During surgery, the tissue recognition device is attached to the surgical suction tube used to remove brain matter. The device provides auditory feedback to the surgeon if the excised tissue emits the fluorescent glow induced by the marker, simplifying the decision-making process regarding how much tissue to remove.

Traditionally, tumor tissue has been identified visually through a surgical microscope, which can lead to the oversight of some tumor portions. The clinical trial now underway will evaluate the device’s use on brain tumor patients undergoing surgery in Tampere and other university hospitals. This method has been developed and investigated at Kuopio University Hospital since 2022.