Microneurosurgical training model in fresh cadaveric cow brain: a laboratory study simulating the approach to the circle of Willis.
BACKGROUND
Residents of neurosurgery need many years to develop microneurosurgical skills, and laboratory training models are essential for developing and refining surgical skills before clinical application of microneurosurgery. A simple simulation model is needed for young residents to learn how to handle microneurosurgical instruments, and to perform safe dissection of intracranial vessels and nerves.


METHODS
The material consists of a 2-year-old fresh cadaveric cow cranium. A 4-step approach was designed to dissect the internal carotid artery and its proximal branches, the optic nerve, the optic chiasm, and the pituitary stalk.


RESULTS
The model simulates standard microneurosurgery using a variety of approaches to vessels and neural structures in and around the circle of Willis of the human brain.


CONCLUSIONS
The cadaveric cow brain, besides being cost-effective, represents a fairly useful method to accustom residents of neurosurgery, especially junior residents, to dissecting intracranial vessels and nerves, and it simulates intracranial microneurosurgical procedures performed in the human brain.
Hicdonmez
Tufan
T
Department of Neurosurgery, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, 22030 Edirne, Turkey. tufanhicodonmez@yahoo.com
Hamamcioglu
M Kemal
MK
Tiryaki
Mehmet
M
Cukur
Ziya
Z
Cobanoglu
Sebahattin
S
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D002417:Cattle; D002941:Circle of Willis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000601:surgery; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D012886:Skull / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000592:standards; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods