Tag: Feasibility studies

Posted on

Feasibility of Robotic Transorbital Surgery

Operative Neurosurgery 28:506–510, 2025

This study explores the feasibility of robotic-assisted lateral transorbital surgery for accessing Meckel cave. Challenges include tool size and limited entry space, though internal surgical space is adequate. Future advancements in smaller, haptic-enabled tools could enhance the practicality of this approach.

• The study explores the feasibility of robotic-assisted lateral transorbital approach (LTOA) using the DaVinci Xi model for neurosurgery.

• Six cadaver heads were used for dissection to evaluate tool insertion and movement.

• The current robotic tools are too large for effective LTOA, limiting the insertion to one tool and a camera.

• Removing the lateral orbital rim (LOR) provides more space but still limits tool usage due to size constraints.

• There is potential for LTOA with smaller, more precise tools in the future, offering a wide surgical field around Meckel cave.

• The study highlights the need for development of narrower robotic instruments and haptic feedback systems for better surgical outcomes.

• Multiportal techniques, like adding a transnasal portal, could enhance tool use, but haptic feedback remains a critical need.

Posted on

Minimally Invasive Microsurgical Resection of Primary, Intradural Spinal Tumors is Feasible and Safe: A Consecutive Series of 83 Patients

Neurosurgery 82:365–371, 2018

To date, the traditional approach to intraspinal tumors has been open laminectomy or laminoplasty followed by microsurgical tumor resection. Recently, however, minimally invasive approaches have been attempted by some.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for primary intradural spinal tumors.

METHODS:Medical charts of 83 consecutive patients treated with MIS for intradural spinal tumors were reviewed. Patients were followed up during the study year, 2015, by either routine history/physical examination or by telephone consultation, with a focus on tumor status and surgery-related complications. RESULTS: Mean age at surgery was 53.7 yr and 52% were female. There were 49 schwannomas, 18 meningeomas, 10 ependymomas, 2 hemangioblastomas, 1 neurofibroma, 1 paraganglioma, 1 epidermoid cyst, and 1 hemangiopericytoma. The surgical mortality was 0%. In 87% of cases, gross total resection was achieved. The complication rate was 11%, including 2 cerebrospinal fluid leakages, 1 asymptomatic pseudomeningocele, 2 superficial surgical site infections, 1 sinus vein thrombosis, and 4 cases of neurological deterioration. There were no postoperative hematomas, and no cases of deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. Ninety-three percent of patients were ambulatory and able to work at the time of follow-up.

CONCLUSION: This study both demonstrates that it is feasible and safe to remove select, primary intradural spinal tumors using MIS, and augments the previous literature in favor of MIS for these tumors.

Proudly powered by WordPress