BACKGROUND: Surgery for deep-seated brain tumors remains challenging. Transcortical approaches often require brain retraction to ensure an adequate surgical corridor, thus possibly leading to brain damage. Various techniques have been developed to minimize brain retraction such as self-retaining retractors, endoscopic approaches, or tubular retractor systems. Even if they evenly distribute the mechanical pressure over the parenchyma, rigid retractors can also cause some degree of brain damage and have significant disadvantages. We propose here a soft cottonoid retractor for microscopic resection of deep-seated and ventricular lesions. METHODS: Through a small corticectomy, a channel route with a blunt cannula is developed until the lesion is reached. Then, a "balloon-like system" made with a surgical glove is progressively inflated, dilatating the surgical corridor. A mini-tubular device, handmade by suturing a surgical cottonoid, is positioned into the corridor, unfolded, and sutured to the edge of the dura, to prevent it from being progressively expelled from the working channel. This allows a good visualization of the lesion and surrounding structures under the microscope. RESULTS: Advantages of this technique are the softness of the tube walls, the absence of rigid arm to hold the tube, and the possibility for the tube to follow the movements of the instruments and to modify its orientation according to the working area. CONCLUSION: This simple and inexpensive tubular working channel for microscopic transcortical approach is a valuable alternative technique to traditional self-retaining retractor and rigid tube for the microsurgical resection of deep-seated brain tumors.
BACKGROUND: Surgery for deep-seated brain tumors remains challenging. Transcortical approaches often require brain retraction to ensure an adequate surgical corridor, thus possibly leading to brain damage. Various techniques have been developed to minimize brain retraction such as self-retaining retractors, endoscopic approaches, or tubular retractor systems. Even if they evenly distribute the mechanical pressure over the parenchyma, rigid retractors can also cause some degree of brain damage and have significant disadvantages. We propose here a soft cottonoid retractor for microscopic resection of deep-seated and ventricular lesions. METHODS: Through a small corticectomy, a channel route with a blunt cannula is developed until the lesion is reached. Then, a "balloon-like system" made with a surgical glove is progressively inflated, dilatating the surgical corridor. A mini-tubular device, handmade by suturing a surgical cottonoid, is positioned into the corridor, unfolded, and sutured to the edge of the dura, to prevent it from being progressively expelled from the working channel. This allows a good visualization of the lesion and surrounding structures under the microscope. RESULTS: Advantages of this technique are the softness of the tube walls, the absence of rigid arm to hold the tube, and the possibility for the tube to follow the movements of the instruments and to modify its orientation according to the working area. CONCLUSION: This simple and inexpensive tubular working channel for microscopic transcortical approach is a valuable alternative technique to traditional self-retaining retractor and rigid tube for the microsurgical resection of deep-seated brain tumors.