title: Microsurgical training model with nonliving swine head. Alternative for neurosurgical education.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper proposes a practical model of microneurosurgical training using a nonliving swine head.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh porcine heads were obtained from butchery and dissected at our Laboratory of Microsurgery. Brain and skull base surgery were trained under microscopic magnification.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Several neurosurgical procedures could be simulated in the nonliving pig model, including transcallosal approach to the lateral ventricle, lateral sulcus and middle fossa dissection, and posterior fossa surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The swine model perfectly simulates standard microneurosurgical procedures, and is a useful tool for developing and refining surgical skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Neurological Institute of Curitiba, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas Alves
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Aurich
authors.affiliation: INC, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luis Fernando Moura da
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Silva Junior
authors.affiliation: INC, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe Marques do Rego
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.affiliation: INC, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alexandre Nascimento
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Ottoni
authors.affiliation: INC, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Simiano
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Neurosurgical Department, INC, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000601:surgery*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004210:Dissection / Q000193:education; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000193:education*; D023421:Models, Animal; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013552:Swine