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Less invasive techniques have significantly changed the management of numerous diseases or disorders affecting the central nervous system of adults and children. Dependent on certain conditions, conventional surgical options may be employed rather than minimally invasive ones.
During minimally invasive neurosurgery, the diseased portion of the brain (including the fluid filled ventricles), or spine is reached through the smallest possible incision or “keyhole”.
During minimally invasive neurosurgery, the diseased portion of the brain (including the fluid filled ventricles), or spine is reached through the smallest possible incision or “keyhole”.
With the insertion of a small endoscope equipped with a tiny camera, through a “key-hole” incision in the spine, scalp or nostrils, minimally invasive neurosurgeons can treat a variety of neurological conditions. When minimally invasive techniques can be employed rather than conventional ones, the result may be a faster and simpler procedure with greatly reduced post-operative complications, minimal brain trauma, faster recovery and less pain and scarring.
According to The University of Chicago's department of minimally invasive neurosurgery, neuroendoscopes have helped ease the burden of brain surgery for hundreds of patients at their facility. Instead of suffering large incisions and lengthy hospital stays, patients who have endoscopic brain surgery have to endure only one or two small incisions. They are often free to go home a day or two after surgery.
The following are the types of minimally invasive neurosurgeries or procedures performed and the conditions treated. Not all patients are appropriate candidates for minimally invasive neurosurgery, and each patient should be evaluated on an individual, case by case basis.
Intraoperative MR
- real time intra-operative image guidance that enables neurosurgeons to better visualize tissue and structures during less invasive neurologic procedures.
Less Invasive brain tumor biopsy - neuro endoscope (equipped with special instumentation) is inserted under the hair line or through the nasal passages, and is navigated to the tumor or colloid cyst (benign).
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy - passage created in the brain that drains excess spinal fluid due to hydrocephalus.
Endoscopic transnasal brain surgery - a minimally invasive technique pioneered at The University of Pittsburgh (www.upmc.com), allows neurosurgeons to gain access to difficult areas of the brain and spinal cord to remove or biopsy brain tissue that would have formally required a craniotomy. Read more about this ground breaking new approach to less invasive brain surgery.
Less invasive cyst fenestration - endoscope inserted into the brain to drain a fluid containing cyst. Entrance point depends upon the location of the cyst.
Less invasive spinal surgery - less invasive surgical procedures that can be used to treat many neurologic conditions effecting the spine (spinal deformity, trauma, degenerative disease, tumors). Less invasive spine surgery (sympathectomy) is also a treatment for hyperhidrosis.
Minimally invasive microsurgery discectomy uses a much smaller incision, generally about an inch in length. This type of surgery creates a small tunnel through the muscles in the back down to the area where the herniated disc is located.
Less invasive lumbar laminotomy/ discectomy - is a minimally invasive neurological procedure performed on the lower spine to relieve pressure on one or more nerve roots.
Less Invasive brain tumor biopsy - neuro endoscope (equipped with special instumentation) is inserted under the hair line or through the nasal passages, and is navigated to the tumor or colloid cyst (benign).
Endoscopic third ventriculostomy - passage created in the brain that drains excess spinal fluid due to hydrocephalus.
Endoscopic transnasal brain surgery - a minimally invasive technique pioneered at The University of Pittsburgh (www.upmc.com), allows neurosurgeons to gain access to difficult areas of the brain and spinal cord to remove or biopsy brain tissue that would have formally required a craniotomy. Read more about this ground breaking new approach to less invasive brain surgery.
Less invasive cyst fenestration - endoscope inserted into the brain to drain a fluid containing cyst. Entrance point depends upon the location of the cyst.
Less invasive spinal surgery - less invasive surgical procedures that can be used to treat many neurologic conditions effecting the spine (spinal deformity, trauma, degenerative disease, tumors). Less invasive spine surgery (sympathectomy) is also a treatment for hyperhidrosis.
Minimally invasive microsurgery discectomy uses a much smaller incision, generally about an inch in length. This type of surgery creates a small tunnel through the muscles in the back down to the area where the herniated disc is located.
Less invasive lumbar laminotomy/ discectomy - is a minimally invasive neurological procedure performed on the lower spine to relieve pressure on one or more nerve roots.
As with all less invasive neurosurgeries the goal is to get the patient to resume his/her activities of daily living as soon as possible. Patients are typically discharged from the hospital within 2 days.
Interventional Neurology or Endovascular Neurology is a fairly new subspecialty of neurosurgery and neuroradiology. An interventional neuroradiologist treats many neuro-vascular disorders that virtually had no treatment options available. Treatments or procedures performed include angiograms, carotid artery stenting, aneurysm repair, AVM repair, and the treatment of an acute stroke with cerebral artery stenting. Significant progress has been made in the capacity to use coils for endovascular treatment of intracranial aneurysms in situations that might have
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appeared inappropriate or inconceivable a few years ago. For more information on interventional neuroradiology click here. For a full list of diseases and conditions treated by interventional neurology, click here.
Click to view latest inter-
ventional neurology
stroke treatment. From ASITN.
Coil placement into cerebral
aneurysm
Carotid Angiogram to evaluate carotid stenosis
