title: Microsurgical resection of deep-seated lesions using transparent tubular retractor: pediatric case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To facilitate effective resection of deep-seated brain lesions without causing significant trauma to the overlying cortex, the authors used a transparent plastic tubular retractor to approach these lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between July 2009 and January 2011, we used an 11-mm diameter transparent plastic tubular retractor in combination with a frameless stereotactic navigation system to remove 18 deep lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gross total resection of the lesions was achieved in 14 of 18 patients, and subtotal removal occurred in four patients. Effective resection of lesions was achieved in all patients through small size craniotomy window and small cortical incision. The histopathologic diagnosis was established in all 18 patients: 3 hematomas, 3 cavernous angioma, 7 low-grade glioma, 2 dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, 1 choroid plexus papilloma, 1 abscess, and 1 meningioma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Microsurgery using a transparent tubular retractor guided by a neuronavigation system facilitated accurate and effective removal of these deep-seated brain lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Gangnam-gu, 135-710, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Il
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Sang Bong
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Kwang-Wook
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Doo-Sik
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Ho-Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seol
authors.forename: Hyung-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D038361:Neuronavigation