Angled rigid neuroendoscope for continuous intraoperative visual monitoring: technical note.
We developed and tested a new, angled rigid endoscope as a tool for performing continuous visual monitoring during microsurgery. The shaft of the scope is angled 110 degrees at its midportion using a prism. We used the scope continuously in 30 cases including 15 pituitary tumours, 7 brain tumours, 7 cerebral aneurysms, and one hemifacial spasm. For pituitary tumours the tip of the scope was positioned in the sphenoid sinus or in the cavity formed by tumour removal; for cerebral aneurysms it was placed behind the parent artery or the aneurysmal neck. Image quality was acceptable for intraoperative monitoring. In no case did the neuroendoscope have a deleterious impact on th e proper function of the microscope or surgical instruments. This angled rigid scope was more effective for intraoperative monitoring than conventional straight scopes.
Department of Neurosurgery, Kobe University, School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
N
N
Tamaki
Y
Y
Hara
Y
Y
Takaishi
S
S
Shimada
D019723:Endoscopes; D004724:Endoscopy; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods