New Guidance System for Minimally Invasive Surgery

Researchers at Johns Hopkins have published a report in the journal Physics in Medicine and Biology that reports on their new image-based guidance system, which they say tests show is potentially superior to conventional surgical navigation tracking systems.

The team started with a mathematical algorithm they had previously developed to help surgeons locate specific vertebrae during spine surgery, and adapted it to the task of surgical navigation using a mobile C-arm for an alternative to the current manual registration process. The system matches two-dimensional X-ray images to the three-dimensional preoperative CT scan in a way that is automatic and remains up to date throughout the operation.

Read more in the Press Release.

Brainlab and Mobius Receive CE Mark for Airo CT

Brainlab and Mobius Imaging have received CE Mark approval for their Airo Mobile Intraoperative CT scanner. The CE Mark allows Brainlab to begin installing these systems in the European Union.

Airo is a unique system that produces high-quality CT images. The portable scanner provides reproducible high-resolution images due to its integrated O.R. table column by TRUMPF and 32-slice helical scan detector array.

Read more in the Press Release.

Mazor Robotics to Show New Renaissance Guidance Module at AANS

Mazor Robotics will officially launch and demonstrate the new Renaissance Guidance System brain module at the upcoming annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS).

The Renaissance brain module utilizes a small, frameless platform with only three points of fixation to provide highly accurate access to the areas of the brain where intervention is needed. Surgeons are provided with a full 360-degree working volume to easily change trajectories.

The Renaissance system is FDA-cleared for both spine and brain surgery.

Read more in the Press Release.

Gamma Knife Useful in Treating Trigeminal Neuralgia

Principal investigator Dr. Inga Grills and a team of researchers from Beaumont Health Systems in Michigan have analyzed data of 149 patients who were treated with Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia. The researchers concluded that treatment with the Gamma Knife provides acceptable relief, especially for those who are not suitable for or have failed medical or surgical treatments. The results were published in the February issue of Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Read more in the Press Release.

Study Shows Preoperative Motor Mapping with Navigated Transcranial Magnetic Brain Stimulation Improves Outcome

Nexstim has announced the publication of an article that shows using their Navigated Brain Stimulation (NBS) preoperatively improves outcome for patients with motor eloquent lesions. The article, published in the Oxford journal Neuro-Oncology, compares 100 patients who received preoperative mapping vs. 100 patients who were operated on before the mapping was available.

The article shows that the group of patients preoperatively mapped by NBS showed a significantly lower rate of residual tumor, as determined by postoperative MRI. The authors, Dr. Sandro Krieg and Professor Bernhard Meyer´s team at the Technical University Munich, Germany, concluded that navigated transcranial magnetic brain stimulation should increasingly be used for presurgical mapping of eloquent lesions in the brain, as this large study increases the already existing level of evidence for preoperative motor mapping by navigated TMS.

Read more in the Press Release.

IMRIS Launches MR-safe and CT-compatible Neurosurgical Horseshoe Headrest

IMRIS Inc. has announced the launch of an MR-safe and CT-compatible horseshoe headrest for the positioning of patients ranging from neonatal to adult during neurosurgical procedures requiring intraoperative imaging in the Visius Surgical Theatre.

The horseshoe headrest provides non-pinned head support in prone, lateral, and supine positions during head, neck and cervical spine surgeries where use of a head fixation device is not desirable because the skull is too fragile for pinning, such as in babies whose skulls are still soft or older patients with weakened skull bones.

Read more in the Press Release.

Winner of new book Controversies in Neuro-Oncology

We congratulate Dr Mazda Turel, Vellore, India. He is the winner of a free copy of the new book from Thieme Publishers titled Controversies in Neuro-Oncology: Best Evidence Medicine for Brain Tumor Surgery.

Read more about the book here.

/Team NEUROSURGIC

Fluorescence-guided surgery for malignant glioma

Dr BS Liew, Dept of Neurosurgery, Hospital Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, has uploaded an educational presentation about the use of 5-ALA in high grade glioma surgery.

Find the video clip here.

Leica 3D Surgical Microscopes with Truevision Technology

Leica is releasing two new surgical microscopes that combine 3D visualization and TrueVision technology from TrueVision Systems, Inc (Santa Barbara, CA).

TrueVision provides visual guidance during procedures by putting graphic markers on relevant points of the anatomy and makes it easy to record and playback 2D and 3D video. The surgeon can look directly into the microscope or operate using the attached HD swivel monitor.

Read more on Medgadget.

Read more in Press Release.

Miethke proSA Adjustable Hydrocephaus Shunt

Aesculap has released an adjustable, gravitational shunt valve, the Miethke proSA. The gravitational valve controls the flow of cerebrospinal fluid depending on whether the wearer is horizontal or upright. The physician has the option of using preset flow rates or adjusting them as needed using a compatible valve.

The flow rates for horizontal and vertical positions can be adjusted independently of each other, a feature that, according to Aesculap, should help improve the daily comfort of its users.

Read more on Medgadget.

Read more in Press Release.