Turkish Neurosurgery 2002 , Vol 12 , Num 1-2
COMPUTER-ASSISTED STEREOTACTIC NEURONAVIGATION FOR INTRACRANIAL MASS LESIONS: PRELIMINARY CLINICAL EXPERIENCES İN 63 CASES
Ali Kurtsoy, Ahmet Menku, Bülent Tucer, R. Kemal Koc, İ. Suat Oktem, Hidayet Akdemir
Erciyes Universkv, Medical School, Department of Neurosurgery, Kayseri, Turkey Objective: Computer-assisted stereotactic frameless navigation techniques are used in many centers for intracranial neurosurgical procedures. In this study, we assessed the accuracy and the clinical usefulness of a frameless system based on the optical digitizer in a variety of intracranial procedures.

Method: The stereotactic neuronavigation system was used in 67 cases of different brain pathological conditions. The neuronavigation system is based on passive reflections of infrared flashes. Universal adapters with reflective markers for different surgical instruments such as surgical aspirator, bipolar forceps and dissectors were used. In 63 cases the system proved to be very helpful in planning and guiding surgery for intracranial mass lesion with a target localizing accuracy of 1,7±1.3 mm (mean ± standard deviation).

Results: There were no complications attributable to inaccurate localization from the neuronavigation system. Additional set up time was necessary to calibrate and register the system, and this represented e mean of 14±5 minutes. The average size of the lesion in these patients was 3.13 cm in greast diameter (range 1.1 - 7.8 cm). Most lesions were supratentorial (77%, 48/63) and subcortical in location (64%, 40/63). In four cases, neuronavigation could not be performed because of system failure or mishandling.

Conclusion: The stereotactic neuronavigation system has proven to be a helpful tool for surgical treatment of different brain pathological conditions. Computer-Assisted Stereotactic Neuronavigation is a technology, which provides continuous, interactive images, three-dimensional information for localization and surgical trajectory to the surgeon and is usefulness in planning and guiding surgery of intracranial mass lesions. Keywords : Cerebral lesion, stereotactic neuronavigation

Corresponding author : Ali Kurtsoy, kurtsoya@erciyes.edu.tr