State of the Art and Future Directions of Minimally Invasive Stereotactic Neurosurgery.
The use of endoscopic techniques in neurosurgery has been limited to this point. Unlike gynecologic, urologic, and general surgery, the majority of neurosurgery is not performed in a large gas- or fluid-filled cavity. Endoscopic techniques, therefore, usually have been used for limited procedures within the ventricular system. A minimally invasive technique for intra-axial surgery, which is dependent on precise, three-dimensional navigation within the intracranial space, is provided by computer-assisted volumetric stereotaxis. Over 1000 tumor resection procedures employ volumetric stereotaxis, and these procedures not only have less morbidity than conventional procedures with similar pathology in the same locations, but also are cost-effective. Experience with these procedures has opened up many possibilities for future development of minimally invasive techniques in neurosurgery.
Kelly
PJ
Department of Neurological Surgery, New York University Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.