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.
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.
Authors: Cristian Gragnaniello; Filippo Gagliardi; Anthony M T Chau; Remi Nader; Alan Siu; Zachary Litvack; Bruno De Luca; Kevin Seex; Pietro Mortini; Anthony J Caputy; Ossama Al-Mefty Journal: J Neurol Surg B Skull Base Date: 2014-07-21