A basic model for practice of intracranial microsurgery.
BACKGROUND
Intracranial microsurgical procedures often take place in a deep location, with a limited access space, necessitating the use of long knee-bend instruments and limiting the degree of movement. We devised an easily accessible model that allows the neurosurgical trainee to gain familiarity with intracranial microsurgical techniques.


METHODS
The model consists of a pedestal, on which 2 movable vices are placed. The object to be practiced on can be placed on a working area, or the vices may hold the object. The pedestal can be covered by a box with a centered hole. When using this box, the vices can move together in the vertical plane over a trajectory of 5.5 cm to simulate superficial or deep microsurgical procedures. To simulate several sizes of hypothetical craniotomies, 3 rings can be used to decrease the diameter of centered hole in the box.


RESULTS
Using the model, these techniques were judged to be technically more challenging and difficult to execute through the centered hole.


CONCLUSIONS
Our model can be a useful method to train for basic intracranial microsurgery.
Buis
Dennis R
DR
Department of Neurosurgery 2F-005, Neurosurgical Center Amsterdam, Location VU University Medical Center,1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. dr.buis@vumc.nl
Buis
C Rob
CR
Feller
Ricardo E
RE
Mandl
Ellen S
ES
Peerdeman
Saskia M
SM
D006801:Humans; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000193:education*; D008961:Models, Structural; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D011214:Practice, Psychological